FG Lauds Google’s N2.8bn Grant to Support Nigeria’s AI Development
Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
The Federal Government has applauded Google’s N2.8 billion grant to support Nigeria’s development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), describing it as timely and will help the government in achieving its Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, Thursday where Google announced the grant to support the government’s AI development, stated that the grant in particular was timely and extremely important.
President of Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, Matt Britton, announced the grant to support the government’s science lab drive.
The minister said: “This support in particular is timely and extremely important because we all know that we are at a time where, as a nation, we are extremely fortunate to have a president that has decided to take really difficult decisions.
“These decisions are based on the belief that there are reforms that we need to take as a nation to truly move forward, to truly grow our economy, to truly provide opportunities for very youthful population.
“With this support, we can expect that we will have a strong workforce locally for AI, because if it’s a global technology, the workforce is required for we have a good set of young people that are passionate about being part of the global economy, but we have to give them the skill set that they require to be able to participate in that local economy.
“So this sort of programme will give us the opportunity to be able to continue to train, empower, but also place these young people in jobs, meaningful jobs. That’s why it’s important.”
Reacting to Google’s planned training for public officials, he said: “What I really find exciting is helping government officials also gain a very strong understanding of what artificial intelligence is all about, so that we don’t end up just copying policies that may not been suitable for our reality.
“Through this programme, we will be empowering a significant number of public servants just so that they have a good understanding of artificial intelligence.”
Brittin, who announced the grant of N2.8 billion fund to grow the digital economy sector, said: “AI is transforming industries worldwide, from healthcare to education, agriculture to energy.
“At Google, we see this potential every day, and we’re committed to using AI responsibly, in ways that benefit society.
“We know that when used ethically and inclusively, AI can drive real, measurable progress. Across the globe, governments are stepping up to create policies that empower their citizens to embrace AI while ensuring its responsible use.”
Speaking on Google’s contributions to the Nigerian economy through AI, he said: “We are also supporting Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, empowering entrepreneurs to leverage AI for real-world challenges.
“Since 2018, we’ve supported over 106 startups across 17 African countries, with Nigerian companies like Crop2Cash leading the way, raising over $263 million collectively and creating more than 2,800 jobs.”
The West African Director, Google, Olumide Balogun, said Artificial Intelligence opportunity for Nigeria is worth $15 billion.
“So there’s an opportunity, essentially, that AI could add $15 billion to Nigeria’s GDP. But it cannot do that if we don’t have the right things in place, essentially to take advantage and to leverage this opportunity. And that’s why we’re here today,” Balogun said.
