Prof. Emeka E. Oguzie, Centre Leader of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies and Electrochemical Systems (ACE-FUELS) and Convener of the African Materials Development Society (AMDS), delivered a keynote address at the 1st International Conference of AI for Materials Corrosion and Protection, held from May 22-24, 2025, in Beijing. The event was hosted by the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), the National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center, and the Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection. Nigeria’s Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and AMDS co-organized the event, underscoring the deepening Africa-China scientific ties under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Pioneering Nature-Inspired AI Solutions
In his keynote titled “From Organic Inhibitors to Nature-Inspired Solutions: A Machine Learning Framework for Materials Protection,” Prof. Oguzie unveiled ACE-FUELS’ groundbreaking research leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of sustainable corrosion inhibitors. The innovative framework integrates quantum chemical descriptors and natural extract metadata to predict inhibition efficiency (achieving R² up to 0.93) and synergistic effects—vital for safeguarding renewable energy infrastructure across Africa.
“Our Natural Products for Materials Protection (NPMP) initiative bridges indigenous knowledge with computational innovation,” Prof. Oguzie emphasized. “By training AI on biomolecular data from African flora, we’re creating affordable, eco-friendly solutions for pipeline integrity and offshore energy systems—directly addressing the SDGs and BRI sustainability goals.”
BRI-Fueled Institutional Synergies
This conference exemplified the Africa-China collaboration flourishing under the Belt and Road Initiative. ACE-FUELS and AMDS are partnering closely with Chinese research centers such as USTB and Northeastern University Shenyang to establish joint laboratories dedicated to advancing corrosion science, green materials research, and AI-powered materials protection. These initiatives will foster knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and strategic capacity building between Africa and China.
Prof. Oguzie’s keynote underscored ACE-FUELS’ leadership in advanced materials and sustainable energy solutions while highlighting opportunities for collaborative research, capacity building, and technology transfer between African and Chinese institutions. The conference catalyzed strategic partnerships, including Joint Laboratory Agreements with Chinese institutions, the formalization of AMDS as Africa’s technical partner for BRI materials science projects, and the integration of Egypt’s Cairo University into foundational research initiatives. These partnerships align with China’s “Materials 2030” agenda and the BRI’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Cooperation Framework, emphasizing South-South knowledge transfer.
“This collaboration underscores the importance of global partnerships in addressing shared challenges in materials degradation and renewable energy systems,” Prof. Oguzie remarked. “By leveraging China’s expertise and Africa’s burgeoning research ecosystem, we can accelerate sustainable development and industrial growth.”
Linking AI & Materials Science: From Rwanda to Beijing
This engagement builds on Prof. Oguzie’s recent participation in the Global AI Summit on Africa held in Kigali, Rwanda, from April 3 to 4, 2025. Themed “Unlocking Africa’s Potential Through Responsible AI,” the summit highlighted the critical role of AI in driving sustainable energy research and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the continent. Prof. Oguzie showcased how ACE-FUELS is positioning Africa at the intersection of AI and materials science:
“In Kigali, we mapped AI’s potential for African energy systems; here in Beijing, we’re deploying it to solve corrosion—a $2.5 trillion global challenge impacting Africa’s infrastructure development.”
His continued leadership in these international forums highlights ACE-FUELS’ commitment to leveraging global partnerships and emerging technologies to drive innovation in sustainable energy and electrochemical systems. These collaborations are vital for building capacity, sharing knowledge, and addressing global challenges through scientific advancement. This dual engagement reinforces ACE-FUELS as a continental hub for transformational AI applications.
Next Steps: Deepening Institutional Partnerships
ACE-FUELS and AMDS are working with Chinese partners to formalize agreements for joint research projects on corrosion-resistant materials for energy infrastructure, including student and faculty exchanges to enhance skills development. Plans are underway for shared laboratory facilities under the BRI’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Agenda.
Together, ACE-FUELS and AMDS will co-lead a BRI task force on “AI-Driven Corrosion Management for Tropical Environments,” with pilot projects targeting Solar farm mounting systems in Nigeria (with FUTO), Coastal hydrogen storage tanks (with Egypt’s Cairo University), Data-sharing protocols with China’s National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center.
This collaboration reinforces ACE-FUELS’ commitment to positioning Africa at the forefront of materials science and sustainable energy, leveraging global networks for local impact.
“This is translational science at its best—turning algorithms into asset protection for African industries,” Prof. Oguzie concluded.
