Nigeria poised to introduce $1.5 million AI assistance fund

The Nigerian government, led by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, is poised to launch another $1.5 million support fund dedicated to advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country.

This initiative aims to strengthen Nigeria’s AI capabilities and foster innovation within the tech ecosystem. The announcement comes in the wake of ongoing efforts to bolster the nation’s AI infrastructure and reflects the government’s growing commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leader in the global AI landscape.

AI support fund context and launch details

In an interview with Arise TV, Dr Tijani disclosed that the new AI fund would be launched on October 7th in Abuja in collaboration with Luminate, a global foundation focused on empowering people through data and technology. This initiative follows the launch of a previous N100 million AI fund, which faced criticism for being insufficient to drive meaningful change in Nigeria’s tech space.

Strategic AI development

Dr. Tijani noted that the criticism of the earlier fund arose from a misunderstanding. He emphasised that the government’s approach is to pool resources from various local and international partners. The new $1.5 million fund adds to the broader investment strategy and will support research and development (R&D), AI startups, and initiatives focusing on local language integration in AI technologies.

A vital part of the initiative will be the creation of a National Artificial Intelligence Trust in collaboration with AI Collaborative. The Trust will work to ensure ethical AI practices while promoting the growth of indigenous language models and datasets.

Addressing grassroots challenges

Responding to concerns about how high-level technology investments will benefit grassroots communities, Dr Tijani highlighted the importance of foundational infrastructure. He referenced the government’s project to lay 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables across Nigeria.

While the project might take years to complete, the long-term benefits in connectivity and economic opportunities are expected to be transformative. This infrastructure and the government’s 3 million Technical Talent (3MT) initiative aim to provide jobs and drive technological inclusivity across all regions.

The announcement of the new AI support fund aligns with the government’s broader agenda to enhance AI research, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Following a National AI workshop earlier this year, Luminate pledged to provide $1.5 million over three years to support three key organisations—Data Science Nigeria, Lagos Business School, and the Center for Journalism, Innovation, and Development—through the AI Collective, which is managed by the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).

These ongoing efforts by the Ministry are part of a strategic roadmap aimed at integrating AI into the country’s economic development and ensuring that Nigeria harnesses the potential of emerging technologies for societal advancement.