Nigeria's AI Strategy Faces Scrutiny Amidst Regional Digital Divide Concerns
Nigeria's ambitious National AI Strategy, launched last year, is drawing both praise and criticism as experts debate its implementation and potential to exacerbate existing digital inequalities across the West African nation.
ABUJA – Nigeria's bold stride into the future of artificial intelligence, marked by the launch of its National AI Strategy in late 2025, is now facing critical examination from both local and international stakeholders. While the initiative aims to position the nation as a continental leader in AI development and application, concerns are mounting over its practical implementation and potential to widen the digital divide.
The strategy, championed by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, outlines plans for significant investments in AI research, infrastructure, and skills development. It projects a future where AI drives innovation in critical sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education, promising economic growth and improved public services.
However, Dr. Nkechi Okoro, a Senior Fellow at the African Institute for Digital Policy based in Accra, expressed caution in a recent virtual seminar.
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