Nigeria’s AI revolution shifts from experimentation to execution – Report
Nigeria is rapidly transforming into one of Africa’s most dynamic hubs for artificial intelligence (AI) as the country is now shifting from experimentation to execution with major implications for business, government, and society, according to the Artificial Intelligence Landscape Report 2025 released by AI in Nigeria.
The report presented a comprehensive overview of Nigeria’s AI ecosystem, examining sector-readiness, regulatory activity, startup growth, and partnerships across fields such as healthcare, agriculture, education, manufacturing, and finance.
Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, redefining how societies function, how economies grow, and how governments serve their people.
“For a country like Nigeria, AI presents an unprecedented opportunity to address development constraints and accelerate progress in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, finance, and public service delivery,” he said.
“Innovation in this space is not just desirable, it is essential to our national competitiveness, digital sovereignty, and inclusive growth,” Abdullahi added.
Wole Adeniyi, chairman, Board of Trustees, AI in Nigeria Foundation, said, “Nigeria is in a strong position to lead. Not only in adopting AI, but in shaping a story that reflects our context, our values, and our aspirations. A story that speaks to the rest of Africa and to the world.”
Ehia Erhaboh, co-founder, AI-in-Nigeria, noted that the AI landscape in Nigeria has experienced significant shifts in the last two years, creating excitement as to what lies ahead.
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“There’s been increased policy engagement in ecosystem growth and wider sectoral interest, use cases, and applications. The momentum is growing and positioning Nigeria as a key player in Africa’s emerging AI transformation,” he stated.
Overall, Nigeria is progressing from keen interest to strategic implementation. The launch of the draft Nigeria National AI Strategy (NAIS) in August 2024 marked the initiation of Nigeria’s formal AI strategy, according to him.
In February 2025, Nigeria established the Nigeria National AI Trust to oversee the implementation of the NAIS and AI investment across critical sectors. These steps highlight Nigeria on a trajectory to progress if execution is sustained.
The inclusion of Private sector leadership in the Trust and early investments by the Gates Foundation are early wins, which are signs of exciting things to come, he said.
The report argues that if Nigeria can scale its AI ecosystem effectively, it may not only improve productivity and service delivery but also develop exportable AI solutions for the continent and beyond.
“As builders, investors and policymakers navigate a fast-changing AI landscape, this report is a clear guide to what is real and what is next,” it stated.
The report identified over 120 startups across Nigeria leveraging AI to tackle local and global challenges. It noted that government strategy, industry partnerships, and regulatory frameworks are increasingly aligned to create an enabling environment.
Sector-by-sector analysis reveals that industries such as financial services, telecommunications, and education are further ahead, while agriculture and manufacturing still have significant room for AI-driven uplift.
The report underscores that Nigeria is not simply importing AI solutions but is actively developing solutions tailored to local realities. It, however, cautions that significant structural and systemic challenges remain, which include gaps in infrastructure (power supply, connectivity) and data readiness.
