Nigeria unveils AI blueprint as West African leading innovation hub
By Felicia Nwosu
Nigeria has officially rolled out its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy in Lagos, signalling a bold step towards integrating AI to boost productivity, digital innovation, and sector-wide economic growth.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed the new strategy during the introduction of the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Collective Industry (NAICI), a newly formed ecosystem designed to anchor the implementation of AI frameworks nationwide.
NAICI functions as a collaborative hub for experts and stakeholders, created to champion responsible AI adoption while embedding ethics and safety in every layer of deployment.
Crafted through a highly inclusive process, the National AI Strategy brings together insights from policymakers, academia, and technology leaders.
Tijani emphasized that Nigeria’s pathway to AI policy formulation is distinctive, having drawn praise on the global stage for its participatory model and focus on local relevance.
“We’re building a future-focused AI ecosystem by tapping into the expertise of Nigerian innovators and scholars around the world,” Tijani said. “This strategy was born from deep engagement and reflects the real challenges and aspirations of our nation.”
He further highlighted the government’s current efforts to fund AI research and foster public-private collaborations aimed at driving scale, solutions, and investment in emerging technologies.
Positioning Nigeria as the regional front-runner, the minister described the strategy as a cornerstone in transforming the country into a digital innovation hub for West Africa.
With its youthful population, expanding tech ecosystem, and economic scale, Nigeria is primed to attract global AI interest.
“Our ambition is not only to lead in West Africa but to offer a replicable model for other African nations,” Tijani stated, pointing to the broader vision of shaping an AI-driven future rooted in local ingenuity and sustainable growth.
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