The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called for increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI) research and innovation, following Nigeria’s ranking of 72nd out of 195 countries in global AI readiness.
The call was made on Monday during a Research Methodology Workshop on AI readiness at subnational levels, held in Kano.
Speaking at the event, Salihu Abdulkarim of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said Nigeria’s current ranking reflects both opportunities and gaps in the country’s digital development.
According to him, “Nigeria, with 179.6 million mobile subscribers and over 90,000 kilometres of optic fibre network, is projected to generate 18.3 million dollars in 2026, with Information and Communication Technology expected to contribute 21 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product by 2027.”
He compared Nigeria’s position with other African countries, noting that Egypt ranks 5th globally, while Kenya and South Africa are ranked 65th and 67th respectively, with Tunisia at 99th.
Abdulkarim said Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, launched in August 2024, is built on five key pillars aimed at driving transformation, including talent development through AI centres of excellence and research fellowships.
He added that the Federal Government plans to produce three million tech graduates with skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science to strengthen the country’s workforce.
However, he identified key challenges slowing progress, including poor infrastructure, fibre optic vandalism, right-of-way issues, unmet targets, and limited digital access in rural areas.
He also raised concern over the migration of skilled technology professionals to countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada in search of better opportunities.
“Upscaling is key, but AI will not take over human jobs,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD, Y.Z. Yau, said the organisation is working to assess how ready states are to adopt AI.
“We want to know if state governments are ready, what infrastructure they have, and how many data centres are available,” he said.
He explained that Kano, Plateau, and Bauchi states were selected for a pilot assessment representing northern Nigeria.
Also speaking, a lecturer at Bayero University Kano, Hafsat Ahmed Kabir, stressed the importance of infrastructure for successful AI deployment.
“AI deployment requires computing power, reliable electricity, high-speed internet, data centres, and cloud services because the system depends on processing large amounts of data,” she said.
Kabir added that one of the biggest challenges is implementing AI strategies at the state level.
