Google: More Nigerians Align with Creative Skills, Use AI to Unlock Growth Opportunities

Emma Okonji

Google, a global technology company has revealed new data trends, which indicates that more Nigerians are taking advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills to unlock new opportunities for learning and growth in the creative industry.

Explaining how the trends emerged, Google said Nigerians spent their time and curiosity on pursuing complex goals in the creative arts, in order to enhance their micro-mastery, using accessible technology to bridge gaps in their personal development. 

Google shared new data highlighting how people across Nigeria are turning to Search and AI tools to master the skills they need for their creative pursuits. The latest trends for March 2026, released by Google, highlighted a significant move toward using technology as a practical assistant for artistic growth and personal hobbies.

According to Google, Nigeria has a long history as a major creative hub in Africa and its influence is visible globally. The nation is famed for its creative culture from a critically acclaimed Afrobeats scene to the global success of Nollywood blockbusters.

Analysing the latest trends, Google in a statement, said: “The latest search data shows that Nigerians are masterfully using technology to develop their artistic talents. Interest in learning painting has grown by 90 per cent over the past year while searches for calligraphy have emerged as a breakout trend this month as people find new ways to express themselves through art. These trends demonstrate the everyday resourcefulness of Nigerians as they use accessible technology to bridge skill gaps.

“Musical pursuits are also seeing strong momentum in the data. People are turning to their phones to master musical instruments with searches for learning the guitar increasing by 80 per cent recently. The creative exploration extends to advanced technology as people look for AI musical tools like Lyria 3 which has become a breakout trend this year. Personal mastery also includes learning new languages to connect with the world. Interest in learning Italian has risen by 130 per cent and interest in Japanese has doubled over the last twelve months. These activities demonstrate how technology serves as a practical tutor for artistic growth and international connection.

“The move toward mastering new creative skills is happening within a growing digital economy where every dollar invested in technology creates an eight dollar return for the nation. Industry analysts at Public First have noted that digital technologies are spearheading growth and development in Nigeria. This investment supports a young population that is already making significant contributions as the ICT sector recently contributed over 16 per cent to real GDP.

“Students and parents are also finding new ways to use these tools for school and creative work. Searches for AI tutors have become a breakout trend and interest in chemistry combined with AI tools has doubled in the last year. General school support is also seeing growth as homework related searches rose by 70 per cent this month.”

Giving reasons for the growth, the technology firm said these search trends were being supported by infrastructure projects like the Equiano subsea cable which provides twenty times more network capacity than previous systems, adding that better connectivity supports economic growth as a one per cent increase in connectivity is associated with a 5.7 per cent increase in GDP.

Giving details of the trends, Head of Communications & Public Affairs, West Africa, at Google, Mr. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade said: “It is inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock new opportunities for learning and growth. The surge in creative arts and language mastery shows a nation that is actively shaping its future with technology. Nigerians are using Search and AI as 24/7 tutors to master high demand skills and connect with the world. This everyday resourcefulness is helping our entrepreneurial population achieve their highest ambitions.”

According to him, Google remains committed to providing the helpful technology that turns ambitions into everyday skills for everyone across the country.

“Through products like Search and Workspace knowledge workers in Nigeria are already saving over 22 million hours every week. This time-saving is equivalent to a $4.7 billion improvement in productivity across the nation. The surge in AI literacy, which has grown by 840 per cent, demonstrates a purposeful move by Nigerians to integrate technology as a critical sidekick in their professional and creative lives,” Kola-Ogunlade said.