While the world debates the future of Artificial Intelligence, Nigeria is quietly building it.
At the State House in Abuja, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), stood before global and local stakeholders with a bold message: Nigeria will not just consume technology, it will shape it.
Speaking during a plenary session on “Technology, Migration & Trade Representation” at the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, Inuwa said Nigeria’s AI journey is not a side project, it’s a central pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
That agenda’s seventh priority; digitalisation, creativity, innovation, and manufacturing is more than policy.
It’s a promise to make technology serve people, not the other way around.
At the heart of this vision lies Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a roadmap to build the infrastructure and talent needed to lead in the AI era.
“Our goal is clear,” Inuwa said. “We’re building the digital foundations from national datasets to sovereign cloud systems that allow Nigeria to play meaningfully in the AI space.”
Recently, NITDA launched the National Multilingual Large Language Model in New York; a first-of-its-kind innovation ensuring Nigerian languages and culture are represented in global AI systems.
“Technology must mirror our identity,” Inuwa added. “It should speak our language, not silence it.”
But Nigeria’s strategy isn’t just technical, it’s human.
Through the Nigerian Startup Act, the country is nurturing innovators, empowering women founders, and building a startup ecosystem designed to thrive.
“Innovation happens when people feel seen and supported,” he said.
Across healthcare, agriculture, education, and manufacturing, AI is already rewriting what’s possible.
“Imagine doctors diagnosing faster, farmers predicting yields better, and teachers personalizing lessons effortlessly,” Inuwa explained.
“That’s not science fiction, that’s the future we’re building.”
Still, Nigeria isn’t chasing speed at the expense of safety. The country is co-creating its AI governance framework with industry and civil society, ensuring progress comes with protection.
Inuwa’s final words captured the spirit of Nigeria’s ambition: “Our story is not about catching up. It’s about showing up, boldly, responsibly, and ready to lead.”
