Nigeria Advances AI and Connectivity with Two Major Government Initiatives
Nigeria’s government approves AI Trust and Universal Communication Access Project to enhance digital inclusion, drive AI innovation, and expand rural mobile connectivity.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Nigeria has announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today approved two major initiatives for our Ministry.
First, they announced that they have received FEC approval for the establishment of the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project, under a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) funding model.
The project, which complements Project Bridge (our 90,000km Fibre Fund) will aim to connect over 21 million people across 4,834 communities in Nigeria that lack the most basic mobile communications access, particularly in remote rural areas. Delivering additional base stations to cater to unserved and underserved areas will ultimately contribute to improving quality of life for more citizens.
Second, our commitment to position Nigeria as a leading voice in Artificial Intelligence recieved a significant boost with the approval of the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trust by FEC.– Excerpt from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy’s Announcement
The National AI Trust, which will be the first of its kind globally, will mobilise resources, provide oversight and guide the development of AI in Nigeria. It will also help future proof our investment in AI across key sectors of the economy, in recognition of the transformative power of the technology in driving job creation and attracting foreign direct investment.
