We will create 50,000 jobs with Artificial Intelligence, says Bosun Tijani

 

 

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said that the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigeria will lead to the creation of at least 50,000 jobs.

 

Dr Tijani disclosed this in a policy document titled, ‘Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency: A Strategic Plan for the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy.’

 

 

The Minister said that Artificial Intelligence will usher in a new era of technological and economic transformation over the next two decades.

 

He said Nigeria needs to formulate a far-reaching national strategy to harness the potential of AI inclusively and responsibly.

 

He said, “The implementation of the strategy amongst other things is expected to elevate Nigeria as a top 10 location for AI model training and talents globally. In addition, we will position Nigeria as a global leader in accelerating inclusivity in AI dataset.”

 

He added that the country plans to create over 50,000 jobs in the AI industry in the next couple of years.

 

Dr Tijani also said Nigeria has set a plan to help startups raise their total yearly funding rounds to $5bn by 2027.

 

The minister highlighted that in today’s global technology landscape, innovation, entrepreneurship, and access to capital are critical components of a strong digital economy. He stated that the primary objective of the ministry as regards this will be to stimulate the growth and sustainability of startups, with a specific focus on those developing innovative solutions for critical sectors of the economy.

 

Tijani said, “Recognising the critical role of patient capital in the growth of startups, we are committed to increasing the local availability of patient capital. We intend to create an environment for startups to raise the funding they require to thrive locally and promote the domiciliation of startups within our nation.”