Joy Agwunobi
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept confined to research labs or science fiction. From voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek, AI is already reshaping the world in visible and far-reaching ways.
Nations across the globe are racing to establish a strong foothold in this transformative era, deploying AI strategies, policies, and infrastructures to secure their future economic competitiveness.
As the global AI economy is projected by PwC to contribute $15 trillion by 2030, the question is no longer whether AI is important, but how prepared Nigeria is to leverage it compared to its continental peers. This includes measuring the country’s progress in policy formulation, digital infrastructure, human capital development, and institutional readiness which are all essential pillars for thriving in the AI age.
There is no doubt that AI presents Nigeria with a mixed basket of immense promise and pressing challenges. On the one hand, the technology offers solutions that can drive productivity across key sectors like agriculture, health, education, and finance. AI can enhance service delivery, optimize decision-making, and improve access to social infrastructure. On the other hand, it also brings potential concerns ranging from job displacement and ethical dilemmas to the spread of disinformation and the widening of digital inequalities.
This duality places a spotlight on Nigeria’s readiness to deploy AI at scale. Despite commendable private sector enthusiasm and some level of government engagement, key indicators suggest the country may be lagging in the foundational elements needed to harness AI effectively.
Two key global indexes assessing AI readiness place Nigeria at a critical juncture. According to the Oxford Insights AI Readiness Index 2023, Nigeria ranked 103rd out of 172 countries. In comparison, several African countries including Benin ranked 97, Kenya (101), Rwanda (84), Senegal (91), and South Africa (77)—scored higher. Mauritius, which ranked 61st globally and first in Africa, stands out for its early adoption of an AI strategy as far back as 2018, supported by strong policy initiatives.
Similarly, the Network Readiness Index, which evaluates countries on their preparedness for digital transformation, ranked Nigeria 106th out of 136 nations, and 14th in Africa. Weaknesses in governance and regulatory frameworks were highlighted as key gaps, with Nigeria scoring 114th in governance and 123rd in regulatory quality, areas critical to enabling a thriving AI ecosystem.
Infrastructure challenges particularly internet access continue to hinder the adoption of AI in Nigeria, according to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) in its October 2024 report identified Nigeria as having the continent’s largest mobile internet usage gap, with approximately 120 million people offline. Additionally, as of early 2025, DataReportal placed Nigeria’s internet penetration at just 45.4 percent, with 107 million users.
This decline in internet penetration is attributed to various factors, including the high cost of internet services, limited access to reliable internet infrastructure in rural areas, and the lack of digital literacy among certain segments of the population.
While Nigeria’s ICT sector has contributed significantly to GDP growth—driven largely by telecoms; limited internet penetration remains a barrier to the widespread adoption of AI in the country as many AI-applications require high-speed internet connections to function effectively.
Human capital and educational readiness
Beyond infrastructure, AI readiness across nations is increasingly being defined not just by technological infrastructure but also by the depth of human capital—especially the availability of talent trained in AI-related disciplines and the robustness of educational systems that feed this pipeline.
According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) 2024 AI Preparedness Index (AIPI)—which assessed 174 countries based on digital infrastructure, human capital, technological innovation, and legal frameworks—Nigeria is notably absent from the list of Africa’s top 10 performers. Instead, countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa, Tunisia, Rwanda, Cabo Verde, Morocco, Ghana, Namibia, and Botswana emerged as continental front-runners in building the necessary human and institutional capacity to support AI development.
Complementing this analysis, a joint report by Qubit Hub and Qhala, titled “AI Talent Readiness Index for Africa 2025,” presents a more regionally nuanced breakdown of talent preparedness across Africa. The report identifies North Africa as the most advanced region in terms of AI talent readiness, achieving an average score of 38.2 out of 100. This strength is largely attributed to the region’s investment in formal education systems and policy-backed AI integration strategies.
In terms of institutional density, North Africa boasts 85 higher education institutions offering AI and machine learning programmes. Egypt leads with 40 institutions, followed by Algeria (22), Tunisia (11), Morocco (7), and Libya (5). The region also stands out in developer concentration, with Tunisia hosting the highest density at 4,120 developers per million people, followed by Morocco (1,345), Egypt (1,224), and Algeria (477).
Further reinforcing its advantage, the report noted that the region has also systematically incorporated ICT skills into formal education curricula. Tunisia again leads with 71.37% ICT integration, followed by Morocco (60.86%), Algeria (58.48%), and Egypt (53.06%).
According to the report, combined with high electricity penetration and evolving digital policies, North Africa presents a compelling model of how coordinated public-sector strategy can create fertile ground for AI talent development. Nevertheless, the region also displays intra-regional disparities, as seen in Libya’s ranking at 46th, attributed to years of conflict eroding prior educational infrastructure gains.
Trailing closely is East Africa, which the report highlights as the most dynamically evolving region, scoring an average of 32.7 points. Countries like Kenya ranked 4th, Mauritius (5th), and Rwanda (6th) are pioneering innovative talent ecosystems and making bold policy moves. Rwanda, in particular, is credited with top-tier governance readiness, proving that resource-constrained nations can still lead through strategic policymaking and digital-first infrastructure models. However, the report also revealed deep internal inequality, with countries like Somalia, Eritrea, and South Sudan struggling at the bottom of the rankings.
Additionally, Southern Africa also holds strong positioning, largely due to South Africa’s continental leadership (ranked 1st with 52.15 points). The region benefits from a relatively advanced infrastructure network and places a strong emphasis on digital skills and higher education. However, the report warns that these capabilities are heavily concentrated in urban centers and leading economies, leaving much of the region underserved.
West Africa, which includes Nigeria, recorded a mid-tier regional average of 27.6 points. Ghana, ranked 7th overall, emerged as the sub-region’s best performer, maintaining balanced development across all the index’s pillars. Nigeria, with a ranking of 18th, is seen as underperforming relative to its economic stature and tech ecosystem. Given Nigeria’s population size, thriving fintech and startup landscape, and growing youth demographic, this mid-tier performance suggests significant untapped potential.
The report asserts that with deliberate policy interventions—particularly in education reform and governance—Nigeria could quickly scale up its talent readiness and close its current gap.Meanwhile, Central Africa remains the most underserved in terms of AI talent readiness, scoring a regional average of 19.4 points. Cameroon (ranked 11th) is the only standout, while the rest of the region continues to battle structural challenges ranging from electricity access, connectivity infrastructure, and governance capacity, to build viable AI talent ecosystems.
The Qubit Hub–Qhala report stresses that improving AI readiness in Africa goes far beyond rankings. “It is not just about rankings. It’s about systems. Talent exists across the continent—but raw potential without supportive structures is not a strategy. Universities cannot teach AI when they lack stable electricity. In regions where 52 percent of the population lacks electricity, talent readiness cannot be divorced from the ability to keep the lights on,” the report states.
To advance a continent-wide approach to AI talent readiness, the report outlines a suite of strategic interventions that can be adopted across all five African regions. These recommendations, directed at both state and non-state actors, aim to address systemic challenges while unlocking opportunities to build a sustainable pipeline of AI professionals.
Central to this vision is the creation of a pan-African AI education initiative. The proposal calls for embedding AI instruction into formal educational structures, from primary to tertiary levels, through dedicated curriculum development. The report highlights that such an initiative would be instrumental in equipping young Africans with both foundational and advanced knowledge of AI, ensuring that education systems respond to the evolving demands of the digital age.
Another significant recommendation focuses on national training commitments. The report urges each African country to aim for training at least 15 percent of its population in AI awareness by 2028. If adopted across the continent, this initiative could equip over 200 million Africans with a baseline understanding of AI, laying the groundwork for broader adoption and integration of AI technologies across sectors.
Higher education is also positioned as a cornerstone of Africa’s AI readiness. The report stresses the urgent need for at least 30 African universities to adapt their academic offerings by developing globally competitive AI programs, stating that these institutions would serve as centers of excellence capable of training up to 5,000 PhD-level researchers, creating a new generation of AI thought leaders and innovators.
Equally important is the development of specialised training pathways. These would encompass AI literacy, technical and advanced machine learning training, entrepreneurship, applied research, and governance. The report envisions that such initiatives could produce up to one million highly skilled AI professionals across the continent, including data scientists, agent developers, and data analysts who will be critical to driving Africa’s AI-powered transformation.
While the broader continental blueprint provides a compelling roadmap, Nigeria’s position remains particularly pivotal. Despite lagging behind top-performing African peers in several AI readiness metrics, Nigeria possesses enormous potential. A Google-sponsored study estimates that AI could contribute as much as $136 billion to the combined economies of Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa by 2030. Nigeria alone accounts for a projected $59 billion roughly 43 percent of that figure, underscoring the country’s unique opportunity to lead Africa’s AI evolution if it addresses its readiness gaps effectively.
Signs of progress are beginning to emerge. The Nigerian government has launched several initiatives aimed at cultivating an AI-friendly environment. These include the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), both of which are focused on funding research and building capacity. More recently, Nigeria launched its National AI Strategy, an ambitious policy document designed to harness AI for economic advancement, social inclusion, and technological competitiveness.
Olufemi Osinubi, partner and west market area consulting risk services leader at PwC Nigeria, emphasised the transformative nature of AI. “We stand at a pivotal moment where AI is revolutionising industries and transforming economies,” Osinubi said at the unveiling of a white paper titled AI in Nigeria, commissioned by Microsoft and produced in collaboration with PwC Nigeria and Lagos Business School.
“Countries are increasingly adopting AI across critical sectors like healthcare, finance, and education. While AI’s benefits are immense, balancing risks and rewards is crucial. By building trust and robust governance frameworks, Nigeria can overcome challenges and unlock transformative growth across business and society,”Osinubi added.
Ola Williams, managing director of Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, stressed optimism while acknowledging the nascent state of AI adoption in the country. “Although AI is still an emerging field in Nigeria, global momentum and growing awareness of its transformative power have triggered a shift in mindset,” she noted, noting “Entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers are now exploring how AI can address local challenges and catalyse growth.”
Williams concluded by stressing the importance of collaboration,stating “By bringing together stakeholders to identify barriers to AI adoption and offering actionable recommendations, we can ensure that Nigeria not only catches up but positions itself as a formidable digital powerhouse in the AI era.”
While Nigeria is not entirely absent from the global AI movement, current indicators suggest it remains in a catch-up phase. The country’s demographic strength, expanding tech ecosystem, and economic scale position it as a potential continental leader.
However, bridging the gap with more AI-advanced peers will require accelerated improvements in infrastructure, comprehensive education reforms, and consistent policy execution. Whether Nigeria will catch up or risk falling further behind depends on the urgency and coordination of its next step.
