AI & African Enterprises: October 2023 Newsletter
Newsletter Originally Published October 30, 2023
🇳🇬 Focus on Nigeria's Evolving AI Landscape
In AI Spotlight on Morocco (Volume 2 | Issue 6) we considered the Moroccan government's efforts to position the country as an AI leader in MENA/Africa. While Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, has been comparatively less proactive, Dr. Bosun Tijani, recently appointed Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has announced various projects that suggest an intention to advance the country's AI strategy.
Earlier this month, Dr. Tijani announced a scheme to provide 45 Nigerian AI startups each N5 million ($6,300) to "promote widespread use of Artificial Intelligence for the betterment of the national economy." This follows a call for Nigeria's AI researchers to contribute to Nigeria's national AI strategy (Volume 2 | Issue 5); and an announced partnership between the Nigerian and UK governments on "Big Data and Artificial Intelligence."
Nigeria is grappling with high inflation, a weakening currency and relatively poor connectivity, presenting a challenging contextual backdrop to these efforts. Nigerian data centre operators are weighing price increases following a 300% increase in diesel prices; and a recent GSMA survey suggests 59% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa live in areas not covered by a mobile network.
While systemic challenges to infrastructure and economy present barriers to realizing gains of an AI strategy, interest in AI is on the rise. Three Nigerian companies were selected for a Google AI accelerator for African startups and Nigerian travel startup and TravelStart announced an AI Travel Assistant. Interest even extends to the ecclesiastical realm where Fr Patrick Alumuku, Director of Communications of the Archdiocese of Abuja (Nigeria), urged the Catholic Church to "pay attention" to AI to "avoid playing catch up".
Takeaway: Economic and infrastructural gaps present systemic challenges, but Minister of Communications Dr. Tijani appears intent on advancing Nigeria's AI strategy
—Team ajala