FG banks on AI to power $1trn economy target, says Bosun Tijani
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has said Nigeria is pinning its hopes on artificial intelligence (AI).
He noted that this is as part of President Bola Tinubu’s ambition to turn Africa’s most populous nation into a $1 trillion economy.
His remarks follow his inclusion in TIME magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 most influential personalities in AI, alongside Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and OpenAI head Sam Altman.
The list recognises global figures shaping the future of the technology.
Tijani described recent progress in AI as transformative, citing a national strategy, research programmes, and partnerships with foreign technology firms.
“We got over 120 experts of Nigerian descent to co-create the long-term strategy for the responsible use and development of AI,” he said on LinkedIn.
“This recognition further validates our belief that Nigeria can stand as a global leader in the responsible and inclusive deployment of AI for increased productivity.”
Last week, the National Economic Council officially endorsed the framework for Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target. The government says it is working toward achieving this aspiration by 2030.
From the technology perspective, AI applications are being piloted in healthcare, agriculture, education, and financial inclusion.
Officials argue that these areas will yield both social and economic returns.
With support from partners including Google and the Gates Foundation, Nigeria is also scaling locally developed AI solutions by providing mentorship, resources, and funding.
To sustain the momentum, Tijani announced the creation of the AI Collective, a community of researchers and practitioners backed by philanthropic organisation Luminate.
He also unveiled the AI Trust, a body of national leaders tasked with steering long-term investments in the sector.
“Our commitment remains clear: to ensure AI not only drives innovation but also contributes to building a $1trn economy as envisioned by President Tinubu,” Tijani said.
Although Nigeria faces infrastructure challenges, the minister said the country is rapidly building technical talent — a key foundation for its AI ecosystem.
Tijani is leading the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, which trains Nigerians in AI and other digital skills.
Many graduates are being deployed to digitise government operations and build datasets to support AI systems.
