Nigeria to Launch $1.5M Initiative to Boost AI Development

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has announced a $1.5 million initiative to boost the country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. This fund, supported by Luminate, a global foundation, will be launched on Oct. 7 in Abuja. The move came after the Ministry launched a $61,780 AI Fund in collaboration with Google, which was criticized for being insufficient to drive the AI revolution. Tijani emphasized that the government is pooling resources to support AI development, and the new fund is part of broader efforts to secure more resources. Another initiative, the National Artificial Intelligence Trust, will focus on using local languages in AI development, ensuring AI growth is ethical, safe, and sustainable.