Federal Government Unveils National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Framework

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Framework, an ambitious five-year plan designed to position Nigeria as the continent premier AI research and application hub. The strategy outlines 500 million dollars in planned investments across four pillars: research and development, digital infrastructure, human capital, and ethical AI governance.

Key initiatives include the establishment of the Nigeria AI Research Institute in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University Africa, a national GPU compute cluster to support local AI training, and mandatory AI literacy modules in tertiary education curricula. The framework also commits to developing Africa most comprehensive AI ethics board, tasked with ensuring that algorithms deployed in sensitive sectors do not perpetuate bias.

Nigeria has the population, the talent, and the entrepreneurial energy to lead Africa AI revolution, said the Minister of Communications. We are not just consumers of AI built in Silicon Valley. We are builders of AI made in Africa, for African problems.

The strategy targets the creation of 50,000 AI-related jobs by 2030, the registration of 500 homegrown AI startups, and the generation of 2 billion dollars in AI-driven GDP contribution. International partners including Google DeepMind, Microsoft Research, and the African Development Bank have signaled support.