IMF Recognition Signals Nigeria’s Growing AI Leadership, Says Bosun Tijani

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recognition of Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) economies, describing it as a strong endorsement of the country’s efforts to build a competitive digital economy.

In a statement shared on Monday, Tijani said the recognition reflects the progress Nigeria has made in positioning itself to harness opportunities presented by the AI revolution.

“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,” he said.

The minister noted that the recognition follows Nigeria’s strong performance in the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) and the Oxford Government AI Readiness Index.

He, however, acknowledged the IMF’s observation that sustained investment in electricity, broadband infrastructure and digital skills would be critical to unlocking AI’s full potential across the country.

According to Tijani, the Federal Government has spent the past two years laying the foundation for AI adoption through initiatives such as the National AI Strategy, the National AI Trust, the 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-optic 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,” he said.

While acknowledging that more work remains, the minister said the government would continue collaborating with the private sector, academia, development partners and innovators to accelerate AI adoption and strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

“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,” Tijani added.

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