The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, is taking significant steps to advance Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country. Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani recently announced the launch of a $1.5 million initiative aimed at supporting AI development, which will take place on October 7th in Abuja. This initiative is funded by Luminate, a global foundation focused on empowering people with information and rights to influence decisions that shape their lives.
This announcement follows the launch of a N100 million AI fund in collaboration with Google. However, the initial fund received criticism from the tech community for being too small to significantly impact the AI revolution. Addressing the concerns, Dr. Tijani clarified that the N100 million fund is just one part of a larger, more strategic effort. The $1.5 million from Luminate complements this, and further initiatives are underway to pool both local and international resources to develop AI technology in Nigeria.
One of these efforts is the establishment of a National Artificial Intelligence Trust, created in partnership with AI Collaborative, which will ensure AI development in Nigeria is ethical, safe, and sustainable. A key focus of the Trust will be using local languages in AI development to create more inclusive and diverse language models. The data used in building these AI systems will also be monetized, with the proceeds reinvested into the Trust to fund further AI advancements.
On the broader challenges of technology integration, Dr. Tijani emphasized the long-term benefits that such projects bring, especially in terms of infrastructure development. He acknowledged that large-scale tech initiatives might not have immediate visible benefits but highlighted their significance for Nigeria’s future. For instance, the government’s ongoing project to lay 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables across the country is a critical infrastructure development that will take years to complete but will eventually enable faster internet connectivity and create economic opportunities.
Dr. Tijani also discussed the government’s commitment to grassroots development through tech, particularly the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MT) initiative, which aims to create job opportunities by training Nigerians in digital skills. This initiative is already yielding results, with many beneficiaries gaining employment in the technology sector.
Additionally, the government’s 774 Project aims to connect local government secretariats to improve service delivery at the grassroots level, further demonstrating the administration’s focus on technology as a tool for driving progress across various sectors.
The launch of the AI Collective earlier this year also plays a key role in this mission. The AI Collective is a collaborative platform bringing together civil society, academia, and tech industries to advance AI governance, research, and innovation in Nigeria. Luminate’s $1.5 million funding over the next three years will support this collective, managed by organizations including Data Science Nigeria, Lagos Business School, and the Center for Journalism, Innovation, and Development. Their combined efforts aim to accelerate the development of an inclusive AI ecosystem that contributes to Nigeria’s collective prosperity.
