Nigeria is placing artificial intelligence at the heart of its strategy for economic development. The government has announced fresh investments, policy measures, and collaborations designed to build domestic expertise and enhance efficiency.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, stated during a recent interview with TVC that was observed by The PUNCH.
He mentioned that over the last two years, the Federal Government has supported 55 artificial intelligence start-ups and plans to launch a fresh project featuring a prominent international technology figure in Abuja on June 3rd.
We've likely put in around $6-7 million so far," Tijani stated. "There will be an additional substantial investment following this.
This initiative is a component of Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, introduced in 2024. The strategy envisions positioning the nation as a global frontrunner in AI by promoting ethical and inclusive development practices.
Since its inception, the government has collaborated with more than 120 artificial intelligence experts and emerging companies, established an NGN 100 million AI fund in conjunction with Google, and initiated a $1.5 million AI assistance program with Luminate. In April, they formally founded the Nigeria AI Industry Collective to bring together key players in the sector for coordination purposes.
Microsoft highlighted in a blog post that AI could add approximately $15 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030. According to projections, the local AI sector is anticipated to expand at an annual rate exceeding 27% starting from 2025, supported by a rising number of start-ups and enhanced global collaborations.
Tijani mentioned that Nigeria is in the process of developing its own substantial language model, which serves as a key component for generative AI systems, with the aim of ensuring that local culture and realities are more accurately reflected within international AI structures.
“This is a technology that has the potential to influence how we think and work,” he said. “For a country that has battled low productivity, it would be dangerous not to focus on it.”
Recently, Nigeria has been placed within the top 60 nations globally for artificial intelligence according to rankings from the United Nations. Additionally, the country achieved a perfect score of 100 percent in "vision" as reported in a worldwide AI study conducted by Oxford University, the minister mentioned.
In spite of widespread criticism suggesting that AI is getting excessive attention as other areas face challenges, Tijani supported this emphasis, stating that it supports President Bola Tinubu’s initiative for reforming the economy through technological innovations.
"The responsibility of the government is to outline a vision and facilitate the private sector in driving implementation," he stated.
Currently, Nigeria holds the second position in Africa regarding the number of AI startup companies. The government is actively promoting greater investments in digital infrastructure, ethical AI usage, and involvement of young people to keep this progress going.
In February, Microsoft declared an investment of $1 million aimed at equipping one million Nigerians with AI capabilities.
"Our pledge to boost AI capabilities in Nigeria underscores our dedication to helping individuals and organizations reach their full potential," stated Ola Williams, the Managing Director of Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana.
Through investments in digital education and partnerships with the Nigerian government, our objective is to develop a forward-thinking workforce capable of fostering innovation and boosting economic development within Nigeria.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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