Minister Defends Why Nigeria Needs to Lead Africa in Artificial Intelligence

By Adedapo Adesanya 

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, has disclosed that Nigeria would lead Africa and play a leading role in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem, after the development of a national strategy on AI.

He disclosed this on Monday at the opening of a four-day stakeholders’ workshop on a national strategic plan on AI themed Developing the High-level Strategy and Implementation Plan for a National AI Strategy for Nigeria.

Mr Tijani, who has come under intense scrutiny over his mandate on AI, said that the government was seeing Nigeria lead Africa in AI.

“We can think local, but also then say what does it mean for the world as a whole. So, Nigeria is ready to become one of the leading countries in Africa when it comes to AI.

“We are one of the few countries investing in talents, in computers, which most countries in Africa are not doing. So, I think we can give leadership locally and also regionally, and in short, contribute globally as well.

“What’s going to happen is that in about three to five years, we will start to harmonise different thinking. But now that we are thinking about it we can leapfrog. We don’t have to start from that silent approach,” he said.

He defended that there was a crucial need for Nigeria to tap into digital technology since it was a reality in Asia, America, and Europe, adding that the reality should be the same in Nigeria and Africa.

“Everybody is grappling. What you see is the fragments; countries are taking a silent approach to how they go about it. But it is a phenomenon that is global.”

On his part, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Kashifu Abdullahi, said the approach was vital because it would help to diversify the nation’s economy.

“AI is beyond just looking at it as a technology but it is a transformational technology that we can apply across sectors to boost the economy.

“If we get it right, it will help us to achieve a lot as a nation. We can use AI to develop economic diversification strategies in Nigeria and Africa. So, we can design our economy diversification strategy with AI in mind.

“The approach is fundamental because it will help us to use our diversity and expertise to create a strategy that is inclusive and also reflects our nation’s consensus,” he stated.