Tinubu meets Google, seeks Nigeria to lead Africa’s AI growth
President Bola Tinubu has emphasized Nigeria’s potential to become a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation in Africa and has expressed readiness to collaborate with Google to achieve this goal.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Tinubu shared details of his meeting with Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and Alphabet, in France. The discussion centered on enhancing Nigeria’s role in AI and digital innovation.
“Nigeria is ready to lead in AI and technology—this is just the beginning of an exciting journey,” Tinubu stated. “We are exploring partnership opportunities with Google, focusing on five key areas: improving scalable cloud infrastructure, equipping our workforce with future-ready skills, promoting AI innovation and research, boosting cloud adoption, and positioning Nigeria as a global tech hub for AI transition and innovation.” He also noted that Nigeria has promising AI initiatives, including Awarri Technologies.
The president revealed that the federal government is collaborating with Awarri Technologies to develop crucial AI software infrastructure tailored to Nigeria’s market needs.
This collaboration with Google, Tinubu added, aligns with his government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes economic diversification through industrialization, digitization, and innovation. “This will empower businesses, create new opportunities, and make Nigeria a key player in the global digital economy,” he said. The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy will oversee the initiative, with NITDA driving its implementation.
Sundar Pichai also confirmed the meeting, tweeting, “It was a great meeting with President Tinubu @officialABAT. We discussed the immense potential of AI in Nigeria and how we can partner to expand AI skills, foster innovation, and support Nigeria’s growing tech ecosystem.”
Additionally, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, stressed the significance of AI adoption across all sectors of Nigeria’s economy. Ahead of the AI Action Summit in Paris, Tijani explained that AI presents an opportunity to boost productivity in areas like agriculture, education, and healthcare.
While many developed countries are concerned about job losses due to automation, Nigeria’s young population—averaging 16.9 years—presents an opportunity to create new job opportunities. Tijani highlighted that AI could reduce healthcare costs, improve education quality, and generate tech-focused employment. Although traditional jobs may persist longer in Nigeria than in advanced economies, he noted, “The cost in terms of job loss will be minimal. Traditional roles won’t disappear anytime soon in Nigeria, and we can drive growth through AI. Moreover, the future of the global workforce will be shaped by countries like Nigeria.”
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
