IMF recognizes Nigeria as leading African AI economy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recognized Nigeria among Africa’s top artificial intelligence (AI) economies.

Reacting the Minister of Communications, Innovation and the Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani described the recognition as a validation of its ongoing efforts to build a competitive and inclusive digital ecosystem.

Nigeria was featured in the IMF’s departmental report, Unlocking the Potential: AI in Sub-Saharan Africa, which highlighted Nigeria alongside South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, and Namibia as the region’s best-positioned markets to harness AI-driven productivity gains.

Tijani stated that the IMF’s finding serves as an encouraging affirmation of the nation’s strategic trajectory.

He noted that the recognition follows Nigeria’s strong performance in both the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) and the Oxford Government AI Readiness Index.

According to Tijani, these milestones reinforce the government’s belief that deliberate investments in policy, talent development, and innovation can lay the groundwork for long-term economic transformation.

The Minister outlined several key foundational initiatives implemented over the past two years to foster local AI capacity.

These include the launch of the National AI Strategy, the National AI Trust, the AI Collective, and the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub. In addition, human capital and physical infrastructure are being targeted through the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and Project BRIDGE, a national effort designed to expand nationwide fiber-optic connectivity.

Tijani stressed that these policies aim to move Nigeria beyond mere technology adoption, enabling the country to develop, deploy, and scale indigenous AI solutions tailored to local challenges.

While acknowledging the progress made, the Minister also highlighted key cautions raised in the IMF report regarding critical bottlenecks. The IMF noted that realizing AI’s full potential which could boost Sub-Sa

haran Africa’s economic output by four percent over the next decade will require urgent, sustained investments in power supply, broadband infrastructure, and digital literacy. Without addressing these foundational gaps, the broader regional economic gains could remain constrained.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Tijani pledged continued collaboration with private sector stakeholders, academic institutions, development partners, and local innovators.

He emphasized that the administration remains focused on eliminating regulatory barriers and strengthening digital infrastructure to ensure Nigeria maintains its leadership in Africa’s evolving AI landscape.