FG to Launch Another $1.5 Million AI Initiative to Boost Digital Economy in Nigeria
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced the government’s plan to launch a $1.5 million initiative aimed at accelerating Artificial Intelligence (AI) development in Nigeria. This initiative, which will be officially unveiled on October 7th in Abuja, represents another step in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen its AI capabilities and enhance its digital economy.
Tijani made the disclosure during an interview with Arise TV, following his participation in the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He revealed that the $1.5 million fund is being provided by Luminate, a global foundation committed to ensuring that people have access to information, rights, and the ability to influence decisions that impact their lives.
This announcement comes just weeks after the government launched a N100 million AI fund in collaboration with Google. However, the initiative faced criticism from the tech community for being too small to make a significant impact.
Addressing these concerns, Tijani clarified that the criticism stemmed from a misunderstanding, explaining that the N100 million fund was only a part of broader efforts to attract more resources.
“Our strategy with AI isn’t to limit it to local resources—we are pooling resources together.
On the 7th of October in Abuja, or we are launching an additional $1.5 million in support from Luminate,” the Minister emphasized.
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Tijani also revealed that the Ministry is working on establishing a National Artificial Intelligence Trust in collaboration with the AI Collaborative. This trust will focus on ensuring that AI development in Nigeria is ethical, safe, and sustainable, with particular attention to the inclusion of local languages in AI development.
“As we build our large language models and digitize our data, we’ll be able to monetize these efforts, with proceeds going back into the Trust to support further AI development,” he stated.
The Minister also touched on balancing high-level technological advancements with addressing grassroots issues.
While acknowledging that large-scale projects may not receive immediate recognition, he stressed the long-term benefits of such initiatives, particularly in terms of infrastructure development.
“Technology’s role in society is to enable progress, and that doesn’t happen overnight,” he said, referencing the government’s ongoing project to lay 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables across Nigeria.
He noted that while the project would take 18 months to secure $2 billion in funding and 2-3 years for full installation, it would be vital for the nation’s future.
Additionally, Tijani highlighted the government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MT) initiative, which has already created job opportunities for Nigerians, especially those trained under its programs.
He also mentioned the 774 Project, which aims to connect local government Secretariat to improve grassroots service delivery.
The new AI initiative follows the National AI Workshop held in April, where the Ministry launched the AI Collective, a community of practice focused on building an inclusive AI ecosystem in Nigeria.
Luminate’s $1.5 million funding will support the work of three key organizations—Data Science Nigeria, Lagos Business School, and the Center for Journalism, Innovation, and Development—over the next three years. These organizations will bring together experts from various sectors to drive research, governance, and innovation in AI development.
The AI Collective is hosted at the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) in Abuja.
