I am a Researcher, Entrepreneur, Digital Transformation Evangelist, and a Software Engineer who creates & implements innovative technology solutions for digital transformation & development in Africa.
I am from Sierra Leone where I received my Bachelors (Hons.) in Computer Science from Njala University, Freetown in 2015/2016. During my undergraduate under the supervision of Dr. Issah Fofana (PhD.), I worked on computer vision-based image processing project (thesis) for automatic vehicle license plate recognition and ported it to android mobile app that acts as the camera that captures images and recognizes vehicle number plates from live video streams of both stationary and moving vehicles/motor bikes automatically. This was the first Artificial Intelligence/Computer Vision-based and Mobile app student project in the university.
After my undergraduate studies, I joined the Department of Physics and Computer Science, School of Technology at Njala University (Sierra Leone) as a Teaching Assistance and eventually a Part-time lecturer and Researcher. Here, I supervise research projects and thesis, and lecture/teach students for the courses – Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Programming, Programming with Java, Programming with C/C++, Scientific Programming with Python, Programming with .NET (VB.Net/C#), Web and Internet Technologies, Advanced Database Management, Computer Graphics, and Artificial Intelligence. So far, I have taught over 500 students in the Department and supervised over 20 final year students for their undergraduate projects.
Currently, I am an MPhil in Computer Science student at Njala University, School of Technology doing a research in Artificial Intelligence with focus on Computer Vision and Machine Learning under the supervision of Dr. Maurice Sesay and Dr. Hamza Bangura (Internal supervisors) and Dr. David Moinina Sengeh (Minister of Education & Chief Innovation Officer – Government of Sierra Leone; and a Lecturer at University of Sierra Leone) as external supervisor.
Prior to joining the MPhil programme, I enrolled for the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of South Wales, Department of Business and Society in 2018. During this, programme, I gained extensive skills in Research, critical and analytic thinking, Reviewing and analysing existing research papers and journals, management and leadership skills, and write reviews and academic/research papers/essays.
I work as the senior ICT and Identity Manager for the Government of Sierra Leone through the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA). Here, my work is at the intersection of Technology, Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identity Management; Digital Transformation; and Policy development.
Between 2015 to 2017, I was a Software Engineer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where my work was primarily focussed on developing and customizing open sourced SOLA software (Solution for Open Land Administration) and OpenTenure mobile app for country specific deployments or Implementations to handle digitalization of land ownership, paper-based survey plans, and auto-generate survey plans from plot’s coordinates whilst handling cadastre management at the Ministry of Lands Country Planning and the Environment. Working there, I gained experience in building large-scale National Systems and I built tools utilizing Big Data, Geographic Information Systems, Location Coordinates, Remote sensing data, Geo-Servers, and Processing and analysing satellite imageries at scale.
Prior to joining the NCRA, I worked at VB Technologies Solutions as Chief Technology Officer setting technology goals and leading technology implementations of the company. Here, I built multiple scalable production systems for clients like GOAL Sierra Leone, FAO, State House, Government of Sierra Leone, UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, Freetown City Council. Before VB Tech, I was a Software Developer for Geo-Data company – a UK Sierra Leone based GIS and Data company based in UK and Sierra Leone. At Geo-Data, I built Data driven GIS, location based, remote sensing, database and MIS applications with data dashboards and visualizations, and Environmental impact systems. I gained exceptional experience to develop scalable systems with great impacts.
At age 13, I founded my first startup (unofficial or unregistered) that focuses on technology, media and education; when I acquired computer skills after spending years repairing electronics gadgets like Radios, Workmans, Cassette players, VCD Players, Televisions; and building Radio station from scrap materials and becoming one of the youngest mobile phone mechanics (repairers) in the country from age nine (9) in 2003.
From 2012 to date, I have founded and led (both technical and managerial) over eight (8) start-up companies including VB Technologies Solution (ICT training & Consulting – www.vbtechsl.com), Algo Africa (Agriculture, AgriTech and Food Processing – www.algoafrica.com), BrainChat Communications (Communications and Payment Infrastructure Company – www.brainchats.com), ThinkDeepAI Technologies (Artificial Intelligence Company – www.thinkdeepai.com), Healthics (Health and Medical Technology Company – www.healthics.xyz), aLab Africa (Remote and on site Software Engineering and Business Process Outsourcing Company – www.alabafrica.com), aLab Studio (Human centered, Product and Creative Media and Design company – www.alabstudio), Agroma Technologies (Online B2B digital marketplace and ecommerce infrastructure for food and agriculture distribution – www.agroma.farm), aLab Africa Entertainment (Music, Movies, Videos); as well as not for profit initiatives including Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CefARD) and Digital Future Organization in addition to OpenIDNet (Open Source Initiative that developes Open Source software for Identity verification and cross-border interoperability www.openidnet.org)
From 2013 to date, I have won three (3) awards in two Hackathons organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Rights to Access Information Commission – Government of Sierra Leone, and BudgIT Nigeria through the Campaign for Good Governance and Access Sierra Leone-Nigeria Programme.
On the personal side, I have worked on over 50 ICT projects in the areas of Artificial Intelligences, Health, Agriculture, Algorithms, MIS, citizens engagement, Governance and Private sectors through which I have gained vast knowledge in researching and developing prototypes, MVPs and production systems etc.
In 2019, I worked with Banti Gheneti – a visiting Data Scientist and Artificial Intelligence researcher from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Glenna Wilson and the team of the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation to develop proof of concept (PoC), prototype and a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for the Government of Sierra Leone’s GIS data platform developed by the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation (DSTI) www.gis.dsti.gov.sl
I am part of the following professional organizations; Internet Society (ISOC, member), Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE, member) and Data Science Sierra Leone (DSSL, founding member & Executive), Youth African Leaders Initiative (YALI Network) Network, and multiple Open Source Communities amongst others.
My research interests are in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, affective computing, Image and signal processing, Data Science, WebRTC, Blockchain, Digital Transformation, Identity Management, Biometrics, multimodal interactions, Perception systems (Audio, Video, Text) etc applicable in multiple sectors and disciplines including Health and Medicines, Agriculture, Education, Smart Cities, Autonomous Systems, Manufacturing, Robotics, Virtual Systems and Assistance, Sports and Entertainment etc. I have researched and built over twenty (20) Artificial Intelligence, CRVS and Identity, and Digital Transformation Systems (Combined).
My current research is focussed on Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Data Science, and its application in Robotic, Autonomous Systems, Health, Agriculture, Smart Cities, Photography, Displays, still and motion graphics, Medical image analysis, and Image and signal processing.
My current research aim is to use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to model perception systems for intelligence agents to solve challenging problems and contribute to knowledge. To realize this vision, I am currently looking for opportunities to join top research institutions for advanced (MPhil or PhD.) assistance ship or studentship or study that will give me the opportunity to acquire or develop advanced skills and expertise relevant to my research interests, and as well, offer me a qualification that is valuable and highly marketable in its own right that equips its graduates with the computer science and digital technology related research skills and expertise to play leading roles in industrial and public-sector research across the globe with focus on developing world.