The report, titled Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People, found that 88% of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, an 18 percentage point increase from 2024 and well above the global average of 62%.

AI usage in Nigeria is particularly strong in education, work, and entrepreneurship. About 93% of Nigerian users said they rely on AI tools to understand complex topics, compared with a global average of 74%, while 91% reported using AI to assist with their work. The report also showed that 80% of Nigerians use AI to explore business ideas or consider career changes, nearly double the global average.

Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said the findings reflect how Nigerians are applying AI creatively to education, professional development, and economic empowerment.

Optimism about AI remains high, with 91% of Nigerians believing the technology has a positive impact on learning and access to information, compared with 65% globally. Overall, 80% of respondents expressed excitement about AI, rising to 90% among frequent users.

Despite the high adoption rate, the report noted that Nigeria still lacks the infrastructure needed to become an AI powerhouse, citing funding gaps in the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the absence of AI-ready data centres.

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The Federal Government of Nigeria is gearing up to accelerate the country’s adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through a collaborative effort involving 120 researchers, startups, and other stakeholders.

Scheduled for April 15th to 18th, 2024, in Abuja, the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop aims to create a co-designed framework to guide AI implementation across various sectors.

Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced the initiative, emphasizing its potential to improve lives and boost economic growth.

Highlighting the significance of the forthcoming strategy framework, Minister Tijani underscored his ministry’s commitment to leveraging AI for national development.

He recounted previous efforts, including the National Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) project, which laid the groundwork for this comprehensive strategy.

With the participation of 120 leading researchers and startups in AI, alongside support from partner organizations, the workshop aims to devise a multi-year strategy and action plan. This collaboration builds upon the Minister’s earlier outreach efforts, where over 6,000 AI researchers of Nigerian descent worldwide were identified as potential contributors to Nigeria’s AI advancement.

The Ministry’s ultimate goal is to harness AI to drive productivity, foster job creation, and deploy smart infrastructure across various sectors.

Minister Tijani’s call for Nigerian AI researchers to join in shaping the national strategy reflects the government’s inclusive approach to harnessing the transformative potential of AI for the nation’s benefit.

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