Africa’s AI Moment: Nigeria Commands Centre Stage

Nigeria has launched a bold initiative to position itself at the forefront of artificial intelligence on the African continent. The Government Leadership & AI Summit held in Abuja on 1 September brought together policymakers, private‑sector leaders and global tech executives. Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, delivered a sharp keynote, warning of the widening productivity gap if Africa fails to collaborate on AI infrastructure and governance. “If we are not deliberate, AI will widen the global productivity gap,” he said, underscoring the urgency of collective action.

Highlighting the critical role of agriculture as a bellwether, Tijani compared Nigeria’s maize yield—around 2.5 tonnes per hectare—with South Africa’s approximately 6 and Brazil’s 12 tonnes, attributing the gulf not to land or rainfall but to the power of AI‑driven precision farming. He urged African governments to digitise local realities, build relevant datasets and invest in talent—seeking to avoid a scenario where the continent merely consumes AI rather than shaping it.

The summit outlined four foundational pillars for Africa’s AI strategy: marrying sovereignty with shared governance, skilling youth for a digital future, investing in infrastructure—especially connectivity, computing capacity and clean energy—and digitising data across sectors. Tijani called on governments to fund research, leverage public‑private partnerships and empower institutions like universities to act as innovation hubs, emphasising that digital literacy and accessible education are essential to realising the continent’s potential.

Adding to the debate, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director‑General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency, placed the summit within Nigeria’s broader ambition to transform its digital economy. He reiterated that AI is not just a technological frontier but a catalyst for economic renewal, noting the government’s commitment to train three million tech talents and weave digital skills into the education system.

Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu of Lagos State framed the summit as a turning point for the country, stressing that with a youthful demographic and a growing track record of investment, Lagos is actively building the digital infrastructure and start‑up ecosystem to translate policy into palpable transformation.

The summit marks the inauguration of GITEX NIGERIA—a four‑day event running from 1 to 4 September—which transitions to Lagos from 3 to 4 September, hosting the Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre and the Startup Festival at the Landmark Centre. These events promise to be West Africa’s largest gathering of technology visionaries, investors, and innovators.

As the global tech ecosystem turns its attention to Nigeria, the convergence of local ambition and global partnerships shines through. The event is backed by the presidency, Nigeria’s federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and NITDA, with support from the Lagos State Government and organisation by KAOUN International. Representatives from IFC, MTN Group, Amazon Web Services and multilateral development agencies are among those taking part, reinforcing the summit’s significance.

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