Nigeria Welcomes IMF Recognition as One of Africa’s Leading AI Economies

Nigeria has welcomed fresh recognition from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) , which identified the country as one of Africa’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) economies, describing the acknowledgement as validation of ongoing efforts to strengthen its AI ecosystem.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said the recognition follows the country’s recent performance in the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) and the Oxford Government AI Readiness Index, reflecting progress in building an enabling environment for AI development.

According to Tijani, the IMF’s assessment reinforces Nigeria’s strategy of investing in AI policy, talent development and innovation, while also underscoring the need for continued investment in digital infrastructure.

“The International Monetary Fund’s recognition of Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading AI economies is an encouraging affirmation of the progress we are making to position our country for the opportunities of the AI era. Coming shortly after Nigeria’s strong performance in the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) and the Oxford Government AI Readiness Index, it reinforces our belief that deliberate investments in policy, talent, and innovation can create the foundations for long-term economic transformation. At the same time in their AI in Sub-Saharan Africa report, the IMF rightly highlights that unlocking AI’s full potential will require sustained investment in power, broadband infrastructure, and digital skills.”

– Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria

The minister highlighted several initiatives introduced over the past two years to strengthen Nigeria’s AI capabilities. These include the National AI Strategy, the National AI Trust, AI Collective, the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, and Project BRIDGE, which aims to expand the country’s fibre infrastructure.

He said the initiatives are designed to ensure Nigeria is not only ready to adopt AI technologies but also capable of developing and scaling home-grown AI solutions that address local challenges and drive economic opportunities.

“Over the past two years, we have focused on building those foundations through initiatives such as the National AI Strategy, the National AI Trust, AI Collective, the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, and Project BRIDGE, our ambitious initiative to expand Nigeria’s fibre infrastructure. These efforts are guided by a simple objective: to ensure that Nigeria is not only prepared to adopt AI, but also to develop, deploy, and scale AI solutions that address local challenges and create opportunities for our people.”

– Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria

Looking ahead, Tijani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with industry, academia, development partners and innovators to accelerate AI adoption, strengthen digital infrastructure and develop a globally competitive AI ecosystem.

“There is still much work to do, but recognitions such as this remind us that we are moving in the right direction. We remain committed to working with the private sector, academia, development partners, and innovators to remove the barriers that limit AI adoption, strengthen our digital infrastructure, build world-class talent, and ensure that Nigeria continues to lead Africa’s journey towards an inclusive, responsible, and globally competitive AI ecosystem.”

– Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria