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The recent Businessday AI Summit 2025 was held on the Friday the 19th September. It brought together a range of French and world economic stakeholders to discuss the transformative potential of AI for business. The main takeaway for Nigeria was that AI could provide the country with fantastic levels of growth and opportunity, but it will require a forward-looking mindset to fully prepare.
Shaping Nigeria’s AI Future
One event at the summit was named ‘Shaping Nigeria’s AI Future: Collaborations, Capacity and Accountability’. Discussions highlighted how Nigeria needs improved infrastructure and increased collaboration to reap the benefits of AI. The overarching concept was that, above all else, it needed a shift in mindset.
Charles Emembolu is the founder of TechQuest STEM Academy. This inspires innovation, digital literacy, and business growth across Africa. He pointed out that infrastructure needs to come first for Nigeria to get the benefits AI can bring. However, he also noted that the federal government has a key role to play in fostering a mindset where ingenuity becomes a shared asset.
Nigeria’s Current Changing Digital Landscape
There have been huge improvements in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure. Internet penetration has a current rate of 55% as of 2024. This means there are 123 million internet users in the country, and this is continuing to grow. In February, the government also announced $2 billion worth of investment to enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth through technological advances.
This has already led to a boom in other digital sectors. One of these is the iGaming and digital entertainment, which has captured the current wave of smartphone access and improved connectivity. Visiting an online casino in Nigeria can now provide access to all the other great features found anywhere in the world, such as a wide range of available games. This momentum is projected to help the digital sector reach $500 million in revenue by the end of 2025.
The Nigerian Data Protection Act
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The Nigerian Data Protection Act was highlighted as one step in the right direction. Established in 2023, this is a primary law governing personal data protection in Nigeria. A step toward clearing up the country’s privacy and protection issues, Emaediong Lawrence, associate at Wigwe & Partners, pointed out how it was a positive step, but more needed to be done. She added that data is currently fragmented and suggested that the government could take the first step, given its access to public data.
The conference suggested that the next step needs to be a comprehensive legal framework for the use and implementation of AI. This could be done by regulatory sandboxes. These are controlled, temporary spaces used for companies to test products and innovations. They would provide a framework for regulators to step in, which could then influence the law. It would also allow them to test products without breaking moral and ethical considerations.
AI could be a huge benefit to Nigeria, but change needs to be made. This is both structurally and, crucially, in the mindset of the people and governance. To unlock the full potential of AI, Nigeria will need to continue strengthening both its structures and its mindset. By addressing these areas, the country can position itself at the forefront of AI-driven growth.