Nigeria stands at a decisive point in its technology journey. Despite an estimated software and digital services market of over US$2.4 billion in 2024 and a population exceeding 220 million, the country lacks a coherent Nigeria AI strategy to convert talent into global competitiveness.
Nigeria AI strategy must balance sovereignty and growth
Industry observers say institutional fragmentation has blunted the sector’s ability to influence national policy. Two long-standing professional organisations, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) and the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), have been weakened by internal disputes and inconsistent engagement with government. The result is a fractured voice at a moment when unified advocacy is essential.
Veteran advocates warn that software sovereignty is at stake. Chris Uwaje, former ISPON president, argues that indigenous systems should power government operations to avoid digital dependency. Remita, the homegrown treasury payments platform, is often cited as proof that Nigerian solutions can deliver at scale when given priority.
Infrastructure weaknesses remain a blunt constraint. Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Group, has pointed to unreliable power and patchy broadband as fundamental barriers. “You cannot build intelligence on inefficiency,” he said at a recent forum, highlighting how basic services underpin any ambitious AI agenda.
Globally, investment in AI has surged. In 2024, more than US$70 billion flowed into AI startups, yet Africa captured under 1 per cent of that funding. Within Nigeria, AI development is concentrated in a handful of fintech and healthtech firms, while most universities and training programmes lag with outdated curricula and limited computing infrastructure.
Experts propose a practical, phased approach. First, revitalise ISPON and NCS so they can coordinate industry priorities and speak with authority. Second, adopt a National AI Policy that balances innovation, ethics and digital sovereignty. Third, introduce local content rules to ensure government procurement gives preference to proven indigenous solutions. Finally, establish an AI Fund to finance startups building local-language models, agricultural analytics and public-sector automation tools.
Such measures would address both supply and demand. On the supply side, refreshed curricula, affordable access to cloud computing and targeted grants would nurture machine-learning engineers, data scientists and AI architects. On the demand side, procurement policies and pilot projects in public services would create immediate markets for Nigerian products.
Without coordinated action, the country risks remaining a consumer of foreign platforms rather than an exporter of digital intelligence. That outcome would squander the advantages of a young, entrepreneurial population and a growing appetite for digital services.
Policymakers, industry bodies and investors need to align on a pragmatic plan that fixes governance within professional organisations, strengthens infrastructure, and mobilises capital for locally relevant AI solutions. If software truly is the DNA of national development, then AI is the next evolution of that DNA — and Nigeria must choose whether to lead, follow or be left behind.
Don Pedro Aganbi is a digital advocate, tech journalist and convener of the Titans of Tech Conference and Expo.
Key Takeaways:
- Nigeria has a growing software market yet lacks a coordinated Nigeria AI strategy to turn talent into competitive exports.
- Industry bodies such as ISPON and NCS need governance reform to present a unified policy voice.
- Experts urge investment in infrastructure, local content rules and an AI Fund to support indigenous models and public-sector automation.
- Without urgent action on policy, education and infrastructure, Nigeria risks importing rather than exporting digital intelligence.
