Report: Google Search for Use of AI Increased by 40% in Nigeria

Emma Okonji

A recent report released by Google, shows that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was searched more than ever in 2024 in Nigeria and around the world, with search coming from Nigerian users.

According to the report, search trends in Nigeria related to AI continue with searches for ‘what is AI’ increasing more than 30 per cent, while searches for ‘how to use AI’ have increased 40 per cent. 

As at August, new search trends from Nigeria show that people in Nigeria continue to search for AI more than ever before.

Search interest in “AI” has reached a record high around the world and in Nigeria, where searches have more than doubled (+130 per cent) since the same period last year. Searches in Nigeria for ‘what is AI’ also increased by 30 per cent, while searches for ‘how to use AI’ increased by 40 per cent. Nigeria has the sixth highest search interest in AI in Africa – and ranks 25th in the world, the report said.

Nigerians are looking to use AI to build their careers and creativity – with trending searches including ‘create a logo with AI’, ‘create CV with AI’, ‘design website with AI’, ‘design a flyer with AI’ and ‘create slides with AI’ – all of which were ‘breakout’ searches in 2024, growing over 5,000 per cent in interest since this time last year. 

Searches for ‘AI and courses’ have increased by 50 per cent, while top questions include ‘is AI hard to learn’, ‘how to learn AI’ and ‘how to access and learn about AI’, the report further said.

Search interest in cybersecurity and AI also nearly doubled across Nigeria (+80 per cent), while people showed a clear interest in the future of AI for science. Searches for AI and healthcare more than doubled (+140%), while searches for AI and medicine increased by 50 per cent and searches for AI and STEM and AI and hospitals both increased by 60 per cent. 

Giving further details of AI, West Africa Director at Google, Olumide Balogun, said: “AI has the potential to create opportunities – from the extraordinary to the everyday – for everyone: bringing new waves of innovation, social and economic progress. So it’s no surprise that the people of Nigeria are already looking to make the most of this transformational technology – finding ways for it to boost their career, creativity, and society.”