Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to prioritising Artificial Intelligence (AI), stressing that the technology is no longer a distant concept but a present-day force transforming how Nigerians learn, work, and create economic value.
Citing findings from the Google–Ipsos Global Perceptions of AI report, Tijani noted that Nigeria stands out globally as one of the most optimistic and engaged populations regarding AI adoption. The report revealed that 95 per cent of Nigerians surveyed believe AI will benefit people like them. According to the minister, this optimism underscores a broader reality: innovation flourishes where ambition aligns with opportunity.
Writing on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Tijani said the strong public confidence in AI validates the Federal Government’s deliberate push to position the technology as a catalyst for productivity, competitiveness, and inclusive economic growth.
He highlighted several key initiatives spearheaded by the ministry, including the National AI Strategy, collaboration with the AI Collective to build a national community of practice, research efforts such as the National Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS), the launch of N-ATLAS — a government-backed multilingual large language model — and plans to establish a National AI Trust to ensure long-term sustainability.
In a related development, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, has reportedly filed an application seeking approval to deploy up to one million satellites into orbit to support AI-driven computing infrastructure.
