The Nigerian government is set to launch a $1.5 million fund to support Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced the initiative during an interview with Arise TV after his participation in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The AI fund, which was launched today, October 7th in Abuja, is backed by Luminate, a global foundation committed to ensuring that everyone has the information, rights, and power to influence decisions that affect their lives. This comes just weeks after the Ministry introduced a N100 million AI fund in partnership with Google, which faced criticism for being insufficient to spark an AI revolution.
Pooling Resources for AI
Dr. Tijani explained that many misunderstood the N100 million AI fund, focusing only on the amount. He highlighted that the government is gathering both local and international resources. Luminate’s additional $1.5 million support will play a vital role in strengthening the initiative.
The Ministry is also establishing the National Artificial Intelligence Trust in partnership with AI Collaborative. This body will ensure Nigeria’s AI development is ethical, safe, and sustainable, focusing on incorporating local languages into AI technology.
Balancing Tech Initiatives and Grassroots Needs
Addressing concerns about high-level projects and grassroots challenges, Tijani emphasized the long-term benefits of infrastructure projects, such as the ongoing initiative to lay 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables across Nigeria. Although the project will take time to complete, he assured that its benefits will alleviate many societal issues,
Furthermore, Tijani highlighted the 3 million Technical Talent (3MT) initiative, which has already begun providing job opportunities for many Nigerians. Additionally, the 774 Project aims to connect local government secretariats to enhance grassroots-level services.
