* Seeks to create a framework to govern, utilise AI
Nume Ekeghe
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has revealed plans by the federal government to introduce a Digital Infrastructure Fund aimed at enhancing internet quality and affordability nationwide.
This initiative, set to be launched soon, he noted, underscored the government’s commitment to revolutionising digital infrastructure across Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Channel, Tijani also underscored the necessity of prioritising and providing leadership in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate progress in critical sectors.
He also noted that the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop slated to hold from 15th to 18th of this month in Abuja, would be attended by leading experts from top technology companies such as Meta, Google, Microsoft, and MasterCard, accentuating Nigeria’s commitment to shaping the future of AI and technology on the continent.
Speaking on the digital infrastructure plans of the federal government, he said: “If you look at the things that we’ve set out in just seven months of my coming into office and about 11 months for our dear President.
“There are certain things that we’re doing that people should get excited about. Some of these activities don’t become something that you can feel in touch with in two months or three months.
“Today, the President has instructed that we activate but also accelerate the deployment of proper utilisation of technology in government. And in Nigeria, we already have the foundation for it, which is our digital ID under National Identification Number (NIN), we already have a solid payment infrastructure through the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBBS).
“The only thing that we lack to allow us to fully leverage technology is what you call data exchange, which is the ability for different departments and parastatals in government to be able to exchange data. And that’s something we’re now building with the support of the World Bank. We are very optimistic that that is going to be in place in the next six to eight months.
“And once we have that we have what you call the Nigerian stack, which is the framework for how technology is used in government and that framework is what’s going to allow the Nigerian government to have a single portal where you can go to access all government services. This is something that is being done thoughtfully and we are meticulously designing it.”
He added: “I’ve also talked before about the fact that the President instructed that we must invest in digital infrastructure, where we are now putting together a fund, and that fund we would launch very soon to ensure we can lay fibre optic cables all across the country.
“What it would do for us is ensure that regardless of where you find yourself in the country, the quality of our internet is going to be the best it can be and the cost will also drop significantly as well.
“Once we accomplish this and we have a deep pool of talent of people who can actually build technology, you are looking at a country that has the core ingredients and framework to be able to put technology to effective use and this is not a project or an initiative that we’re hoping will be done by the time the President is done with his first time in office. No, it’s something that we believe that in the next 24 months, we should start to see it in full operations across critical parts of our society.”
Acknowledging the transformative power of AI, Tijani emphasised the importance of governing technology effectively to maximise its benefits while mitigating potential risks.
He reiterated the government’s responsibility to establish clear policies and governance structures to guide the deployment and utilisation of AI, ensuring that Nigeria harnesses its potential for societal development.
He said: “So part of why Nigeria is prioritising and ensuring that we give leadership to how we look at AI is on one hand to help us reimagine how we can accelerate progress in our critical sectors.
“Technology can help us raise the level of productivity in critical sectors on one hand. On the other hand, it is also bearing in mind that we don’t exist in isolation, artificial intelligence, just like the internet is one of two top technologies that have significant implications for humanity today.
“For the internet, we have seen what it has done connecting people, connecting people to machines and machines to machines, allowing us to be able to access knowledge and taking out barriers from small businesses to be able to participate in commerce.
“AI offers humanity the chance to be able to process significant amounts of data in certain manners that we’ve never been able to do before. By being able to process these data, it means that we can do the things that we do that are important to us as humanity in a better way.”
“So, as a government, we must ensure that we have clarity in terms of how we govern AI, to how we invest in it so that we can capture value from it to help raise development in AI economy. And I think thirdly is also how we ensure that we can put policies in place to support the teeming youth population in a country like Nigeria and I think in the rest of Africa as well, to be able to participate in this coordinated technology.
“This is why we’re prioritising it, as governments as leaders, it will be irresponsible of us to sit there and allow this technology to fully mature and develop without being able to help society make sense out of it.”
He expressed optimism that Nigeria would lead the way in harnessing AI for economic growth and societal advancement.
In addition to the Digital Infrastructure Fund, Tijani highlighted ongoing efforts to deploy technology in government operations, including the establishment of a single portal for accessing government services.
Speaking further on why the federal government was focusing on AI, he said: “It doesn’t matter which part of the world you find yourself, AI is going to disrupt the way you live, it is going to disrupt your economy. We all know how the entertainment space is quite big for us. In Nigeria. Artificial Intelligence is going to disrupt that sector.”
With the implementation of these initiatives, Tijani projected significant advancements in Nigeria’s technological landscape within the next 24 months. He noted that the government’s proactive approach to investing in digital infrastructure and harnessing the potential of AI reflects its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leader in the digital economy.
