Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has said that the country’s future depends on the adoption of artificial intelligence. He stressed that the technology is critical to economic survival and long-term competitiveness.
Tijani, who spoke on Monday at the ongoing Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja during a panel session titled Smart Growth, Digital Leap, said Nigeria must act with urgency in adopting and investing in artificial intelligence.
The session, which examined how digital transformation can accelerate growth and competitiveness, also featured Fernando Barros, CEO of I-Systems Brazil, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founding Partner of Future Africa, and Nneka Enwereji, CEO of Citibank Nigeria.
According to the minister, the Federal Government is focused on building the infrastructure and talent needed to ensure that AI delivers solutions that can transform key sectors of the economy.
He said, “And if AI cannot work for us, there’s literally no future for us.” Tijani explained that the government’s plan to create three million technical jobs is linked to the development of AI skills and solutions that can be deployed in agriculture, mining, education and other sectors.
He noted that Nigeria had recently launched Africa’s first government-backed land mapping model at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, designed to support local developers in training AI systems that address Nigeria’s specific challenges.
Tijani also pointed out that meaningful connectivity and sustained investment in broadband infrastructure were vital for digital transformation.
He revealed that the government had commenced the rollout of a fibre-optic programme estimated to cost about $2bn, with the state providing 49 per cent of the capital and the private sector expected to cover the remaining 51 per cent.
He argued that widespread fibre deployment would allow every state and local government area to have access points, while smaller internet service providers could connect and extend services across the country.
Drawing comparisons with Brazil’s use of connectivity to boost farm productivity and China’s 4 million 5G towers, the minister warned that Nigeria risked being left behind without decisive investment.
He said the country’s reliance on imports for agricultural produce was partly due to limited connectivity and the inability to modernise farming practices at scale.
The minister added that government reforms in the digital economy were already yielding results, with firms in the sector posting strong profits.
He announced that his ministry was also preparing a N21bn research fund to support universities, research institutes and innovators in digital literacy, cybersecurity, online safety and other areas critical to the future of the digital economy.
Tijani concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between government, private sector players, civil society and research institutions, insisting that Nigeria could not afford to wait another decade to embrace AI and meaningful connectivity.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria, Mohamad Darwish, said that Nigeria cannot achieve inclusive prosperity by 2030 without making digital technology a central driver of growth.
Darwish described digital infrastructure as the backbone of national productivity, stressing that both government and the private sector must act boldly to harness technology as a growth accelerator.
He noted that Nigeria had recorded major digital advances in the last decade, with internet penetration reshaping business, commerce, education and social interaction.
According to him, small businesses are increasingly leveraging online platforms to scale, while innovation hubs and initiatives such as the government’s Three Million Technical Talent programme are building one of the most vibrant startup ecosystems in Africa.
Despite the progress, Darwish identified persistent challenges, including poor internet access in rural areas, unreliable power supply and uneven levels of digital literacy.
He said bridging the divide would require strong public-private partnerships, with government expanding broadband coverage and the private sector driving investment in infrastructure, innovation and talent.
“A coordinated push for digital adoption across value chains will unlock competitiveness, attract sustained investment, and position Nigeria as a future-ready economy,” he said.
Darwish outlined the objectives of the session to include highlighting infrastructure gaps, identifying regulatory reforms, scaling innovation ecosystems and building a robust digital skills pipeline.
He added that IHS, with more than 16,000 towers and 15,000km of fibre laid nationwide, was committed to powering connectivity with sustainable infrastructure and green energy.
He said the company would continue to support innovation hubs, schools’ connectivity and youth upskilling programmes, insisting that connectivity remains a catalyst for Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.
Earlier in September, The Newsmen reported that the communications minister said that Nigeria is pinning its hopes on artificial intelligence as part of President Bola Tinubu’s ambition to turn Africa’s most populous nation into a $1trn economy.