Nigeria is reaching out to a diverse pool of experts, including scientists of Nigerian heritage and globally renowned specialists with experience in the Nigerian market, to participate in the development of its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy.
Announced by Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, via X (formerly Twitter), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has embarked on crafting a comprehensive National AI Strategy.
This initiative is poised to revolutionize the way the government tackles its most pressing national challenges through technology. As a result, the government is embracing a collaborative approach by convening a select group of top AI researchers with Nigerian connections from around the world.
Recognizing the transformative potential of AI, the Nigerian government acknowledges its role in reshaping industries and services, thereby fueling societal advancement and economic growth. A PricewaterhouseCoopers study underscores this potential, projecting that AI could contribute a staggering $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with about $3 trillion attributed to productivity gains and an impressive $9.1 trillion attributed to novel products and services.
The minister’s announcement references a white paper titled “Co-creating a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Nigeria,” which details the meticulous process of identifying accomplished AI researchers with Nigerian roots. This process involved leveraging global AI publication data and advanced machine learning models to create a research index akin to the “h-index,” allowing the identification of influential AI researchers of Nigerian heritage.
As the preliminary research phase concludes, the Nigerian government is eager to involve the public, acknowledging the possibility of errors and valuing collective knowledge and insights. Reports from local media indicate that Kashifu Inuwa, the director-general of NITDA, has outlined plans to establish AI developer communities nationwide, aimed at shaping the technological future of the country. This ambitious initiative will kick off in three states in 2023, with strategic expansion plans encompassing additional states and, eventually, all local government areas.