The Federal Government has launched Nigeria AI Collective, an ambitious ecosystem aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence to drive economic growth and social progress, positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s AI market.
Unveiled in Lagos recently, the initiative unites over 70 top AI experts from tech firms, startups, academia, and professional networks to foster innovation, collaboration, and ethical AI development.
The AI Collective, backed by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, aligns with Nigeria’s newly released National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a roadmap with 12 strategic goals and 34 initiatives to advance technical excellence, talent development, and cross-sector innovation.
“The National AI Strategy was developed through an open, collaborative process involving government, academia, and industry,” the minister said at the launch.
“Nigeria’s AI progress places it among the leading African nations in AI adoption and innovation, competing closely with South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt.
“It reflects a distinctly Nigerian approach, drawing on the expertise of local and diaspora talents to craft a forward-looking, locally relevant, and globally aligned framework for development.”
Three flagship programmes were introduced: a 13-part executive video series to educate business leaders on AI adoption, Diaspora-Connect to link local talent with Nigeria’s global diaspora, and the Nigerian AI Repository to showcase homegrown AI solutions.
Sectoral AI networks will drive peer learning and policy dialogue in industries like healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and telecommunications.
Data Science Nigeria is one of the implementing partners of the Nigeria AI Collective. The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr Olubayo Adekanmbi, outlined the collective’s core focus areas, including research and development, sector-based innovation, policy influence, and global partnerships.
“The AI Collective will catalyse sectoral transformation by building networks that drive AI adoption across key industries,” he noted.
“We invite industry stakeholders to step forward as sector champions across domains such as telecommunications, real estate, the creative economy, government, healthcare, agriculture, financial inclusion, and fintech,” he added.
The Dean of Lagos Business School, Professor Yinka David-West, further elaborated on the strategic pillars underpinning the National AI Strategy.
“This strategy is centred on technical excellence, talent development, and collaborative innovation,” she stated.
“With 12 ambitious goals and 34 actionable initiatives, it is purposefully built to accelerate economic progress, foster social impact, and position Nigeria as a hub for AI excellence on the global stage,” she emphasised.
