The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has said that Nigeria’s future and economic survival depend on the rapid adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across key sectors of the economy.
Speaking on Monday at the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja during a panel session titled “Smart Growth, Digital Leap,” Tijani stressed that AI is no longer optional for national progress, warning that “if AI cannot work for us, there’s literally no future for us.”
AI, Connectivity and the Future of Work
The minister said the Federal Government is building the infrastructure and talent base needed to ensure that AI delivers practical solutions to transform sectors such as agriculture, mining, and education.
He linked the government’s plan to create three million technical jobs to the development of AI-driven skills and solutions, adding that these initiatives were key to positioning Nigeria competitively in the global economy.
Tijani also revealed that Nigeria had recently launched Africa’s first government-backed land mapping model at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, designed to help local developers train AI systems on Nigeria-specific data sets.
$2bn Fibre-Optic Rollout to Boost Connectivity
Highlighting the importance of broadband access, Tijani announced that the Federal Government had commenced a $2 billion fibre-optic rollout programme.
He explained that the government would contribute 49 per cent of the capital while the private sector would provide 51 per cent.
The project, he said, would create access points across all states and local governments, enabling smaller internet service providers to expand coverage nationwide.
Tijani drew comparisons with Brazil’s connectivity-driven agricultural growth and China’s 4 million 5G towers, cautioning that Nigeria risks falling behind without decisive investment in broadband and digital infrastructure.
“Our dependence on imports for agricultural produce is partly due to limited connectivity and the inability to modernise farming at scale,” he noted.
Government Launches N21bn Digital Research Fund
The minister announced plans for a ₦21 billion research fund to support universities, research institutes, and innovators in digital literacy, cybersecurity, online safety, and other areas vital to the digital economy.
He said the reforms being implemented in the communications and digital economy sectors were already yielding positive results, with many firms reporting strong profits and expansion.
Tijani called for stronger collaboration among government, private sector players, civil society, and research institutions, stressing that Nigeria cannot afford to wait another decade before fully embracing AI and meaningful digital transformation.
Private Sector Endorses Bold Digital Push
Also speaking during the session, Mohamad Darwish, Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria, said Nigeria could not achieve inclusive prosperity by 2030 without making digital technology a central driver of growth.
Darwish described digital infrastructure as “the backbone of national productivity,” urging both government and the private sector to act boldly to harness technology as a growth accelerator.
He noted that despite progress in internet penetration and the rise of innovation hubs, challenges such as poor rural internet access, unreliable power, and low digital literacy persist.
“A coordinated push for digital adoption across value chains will unlock competitiveness, attract sustained investment, and position Nigeria as a future-ready economy,” Darwish said.
IHS Commits to Powering Connectivity
Darwish added that IHS, which operates over 16,000 towers and has laid 15,000 kilometres of fibre nationwide, remains committed to powering connectivity through sustainable infrastructure and green energy.
He said the company would continue to support innovation hubs, school connectivity projects, and youth upskilling programmes, reaffirming that “connectivity remains a catalyst for Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.”
Background
In September, Emmynet24 News Media reported that Tijani said Nigeria is betting on artificial intelligence as part of President Bola Tinubu’s plan to transform Africa’s most populous country into a $1 trillion economy. The government has since rolled out multiple digital economy reforms, including the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and partnerships to attract global investment into Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
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