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By Tracy Yekaghe
The federal government is mobilising “top researchers of Nigerian descent from all over the world to co-create a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Nigeria,” revealed Minister of Communications, Innovation Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani in his official X handle.
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A 2018 report by PWC projects that “AI could contribute about $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2023, with $3 trillion from increased productivity and $9.1 trillion from mew products and services.”
Similarly, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) reveals that “the strategic adoption of AI could add up to $234 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030.” Nigeria wants to tap into the emerging opportunities.
“We’re curating a list of the top researchers of Nigerian descent from all over the world to join us in co-creating a National AI Strategy. The strategy will help shape our approach to building innovative tech solutions to our most pressing national problems,” the minister tweeted.
Also this week in Abuja, the ministry held its first engagement with the ecosystem to push towards achieving government’s goal of “one million technical talents” by 2025.
“My team and I spent some time today with some key stakeholders in tech to co-create innovative ways to achieve Mr. President’s target to train 1 million technical talents. This is the first in a series of ecosystem engagements to ensure we get the best solutions from within,” Tijani announced.
Expanding frontiers of digital economy
He expressed the commitment of the ministry to expand the frontiers of Nigeria’s digital economy and build a robust tech ecosystem fostered on human capital and multilateral stakeholders’ approach.
He announced: “We are curating a list of the top researchers of Nigerian descent from all over the world to join us in co-creating a National AI Strategy. The strategy will help shape our approach to building innovative tech solutions to our most pressing national problems.”
Accordingly, this “move entails the aggregation of preeminent Nigerian researchers dispersed internationally, with the objective of jointly formulating a comprehensive National AI Strategy. This strategic blueprint is poised to guide the systematic deployment of advanced technology solutions towards the resolution of paramount domestic issues, capitalizing on the specialized proficiencies and discernments of these eminent contributors.”
Dr Tijani, who resumed duty officially last week, is seen as an icon of the ecosystem he is now mandated to lead.
