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Nigeria targets AI-enabled services and digital infrastructure growth
Nigeria is positioning itself to transition from traditional IT outsourcing to high-value, AI-enabled services. At the UN General Assembly, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Abdullahi emphasized the need to equip Nigerian talent with AI capabilities and trusted digital infrastructure to remain competitive as automation threatens to eliminate up to 40% of Africa’s business process outsourcing jobs.
To support this shift, Nigeria is implementing several initiatives, including Project BRIDGE, a Cloud First Policy, and a National Digital Cloud Policy that aims to attract $750 million in private investment over the next 24 months. The strategy focuses on building sovereign cloud capabilities and robust frameworks for data protection and cybersecurity.
In the private sector, experts at an EY Nigeria webinar highlighted the rise of agentic AI—systems capable of executing tasks and making decisions rather than just assisting users. They urged organizations to adopt these autonomous systems with clear governance and human oversight, noting immediate potential applications in banking, insurance, and public services.
Entities
EY Nigeria · Kashifu Abdullahi · National Information Technology Development Agency · Nigeria · Wilfred Mamah
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nigeria aims to transition from conventional IT outsourcing to providing AI-enabled services. iafrica.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] AI-powered automation could eliminate more than 40% of Africa’s business process outsourcing jobs. iafrica.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Agentic AI represents a shift from software that supports users to systems capable of pursuing goals and executing actions. www.thisdaylive.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The National Digital Cloud Policy targets $750 million in private investment within 24 months. iafrica.com