On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu met with Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, in Paris to announce a transformative partnership aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation across Africa.
President Tinubu announced the partnership via his X account, stressing that the collaboration will not only position Nigeria as Africa’s technological leader, but will also leveraging AI and cloud computing to boost the nation’s economy.
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Advancing AI Innovation through strategic collaboration
The partnership will focus on transforming Nigeria’s tech ecosystem by prioritising AI research, scalable cloud infrastructure, and workforce development.
President Tinubu said, “This partnership will unlock new opportunities for Nigerians and place our country at the forefront of technological advancements.”
The initiative will promote local innovation by supporting startups and researchers in creating AI-driven solutions tailored to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
Awarri Technologies, a Nigerian AI company, was highlighted as an example of the country’s growing potential in this field.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasised the importance of the collaboration, stating, “We are committed to working with Nigeria to expand digital skills, drive innovation, and enable inclusive growth.”
The partnership will include training programs to equip Nigerians with the skills needed for an increasingly AI-driven world.
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Government’s vision for digital growth
The Nigerian government is aligning this partnership with its Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritising economic diversification through technology.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy will lead the initiative, while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will oversee its implementation.
Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general of NITDA, highlighted the importance of building data centres and integrating digital skills into education. He explained that these efforts would ensure Nigeria’s workforce is prepared to harness the opportunities created by this collaboration.
Meanwhile, Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, emphasised the nation’s need to lead in AI development and regulation through a strategic approach.
“In the near future, AI systems will converge, and Nigeria must position itself as a global powerhouse in both AI development and regulation,” he asserted.