Nigeria gears up for $1.5M AI initiative to fuel digital innovation, advancement

Joy Agwunobi

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, led by Minister Bosun Tijani, is set to roll out a $1.5 million initiative to foster the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the country.

The move is considered part of the government’s broader efforts to solidify Nigeria’s position as a key player in the global technology ecosystem, with the initiative aimed at supporting the growth of AI capabilities and facilitating knowledge-sharing among key industry stakeholders.

The initiative, supported by the global foundation Luminate, will officially launch on October 7th in Abuja. 

According to Tijani, the fund is part of a collaboration aimed at empowering Nigerians with the tools and resources necessary to influence decisions that impact their daily lives. 

This new effort comes on the heels of the Ministry’s earlier launch of a N100 million AI Fund in partnership with Google, which sparked some debate within the tech community. Critics argued that the funding fell short of what was needed to catalyse significant AI advancements. 

Addressing these concerns, Tijani explained that the N100 million fund was just one part of a more comprehensive strategy. “Many people focused on the numbers without understanding the broader picture; we are pooling resources both locally and internationally to build something much larger,” he stated.  

The minister added, “the $1.5 million from Luminate is just one of the ways we’re scaling up these efforts.”

Tijani also highlighted a new initiative in the works: the National Artificial Intelligence Trust, which the Ministry is developing in partnership with AI Collaborative. This initiative, he explained, aims to prioritise the integration of local languages in AI development.

According to him, the Trust will act as a guardian to ensure that AI growth in Nigeria adheres to ethical standards, remains secure, and is sustainable, while working in tandem with the government to drive progress.

Tijani also spoke on the government’s commitment to large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the ambitious goal of laying 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables across Nigeria. He acknowledged the challenges, but stressed that the long-term benefits of these projects especially in infrastructure development would be transformative.

“Technology’s role is to drive progress, but that progress doesn’t happen instantly,” Tijani noted, pointing to the ongoing fibre optic project. He outlined the timeline, noting that it would take 18 months to secure the necessary $2 billion in funding and an additional two to three years to complete the installation.