FG pushes for greater AI investment to power Nigeria’s digital future

The Federal Government has renewed its call for increased investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI), stressing that the technology remains central to driving Nigeria’s digital economy and safeguarding its data sovereignty.

Speaking at the GITEX Nigeria 2026 Government Leadership and AI Summit in Abuja, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by Permanent Secretary Bekearedebo Warrens, stated that Nigeria must move beyond merely consuming foreign technology to becoming a builder and exporter of its own digital solutions.

As reported by This Day, Akume pointed to reforms in digital identity management, including the ongoing overhaul of the NIMC framework, as steps toward stronger data control.

He further highlighted Project Bridge, a plan to lay 90,000km of fibre-optic cable nationwide, and the 3MTT programme, which has so far trained over 125,000 Nigerians in AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity.

However, the SGF noted that a new National Digital Cloud Policy is also targeting $750 million in private investment over the next 24 months, underscoring government’s broader ambition to build a self-reliant tech ecosystem.