Grace Ashiru
Nigeria is set to collaborate with Google to advance artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation. This announcement was made by President Bola Tinubu through his official X handle, following his meeting with Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and Alphabet, in Paris, France.
President Tinubu highlighted that the partnership will be centered around five key areas: expanding scalable cloud infrastructure, equipping Nigeria’s workforce with essential future-ready skills, fostering AI innovation and research, promoting cloud adoption, and solidifying Nigeria’s position as a global hub for technological advancement and AI transformation.
He also pointed out that Nigeria already has promising AI initiatives, citing Silas Adekunle’s Awarri as an example. Awarri is currently working on developing critical AI software infrastructure tailored to the needs of Nigeria’s local market, particularly in areas such as arts and culture, languages, and society. He noted that AI models have largely overlooked the arts and culture sector, making this a unique and valuable focus for development.
Pichai stated, “We had discussions about the vast potential of AI in Nigeria and explored ways to collaborate in expanding AI skills, fostering innovation, and supporting the country’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, emphasized the nation’s need to take a leading role in AI development and regulation through a strategic approach.
“In the near future, AI systems will converge, and Nigeria must position itself as a global powerhouse in both AI development and regulation,” he asserted.
