Microsoft Challenges Nigeria to Turn AI Ambitions into Action, Real Economic Gains

Microsoft has challenged Nigeria to move from artificial intelligence (AI) policy formulation to practical implementation, urging the country to deploy emerging technologies to deliver measurable improvements in governance, business productivity and social development.

The call was made by Mrs Nonye Ujam, Director of Government Affairs for West Africa at Microsoft, during the AI Summit Nigeria held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The summit, organised by Microsoft in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and , focused on the theme: “From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption for Nigeria’s Digital Decade.”

Ujam acknowledged Nigeria’s progress in establishing a foundation for AI development through the National AI Strategy, data governance frameworks and regulatory reforms, noting that the country was positioned to play a significant role in the global digital economy.

She, however, said the priority now should shift from creating strategies to ensuring that AI solutions are effectively implemented and capable of producing tangible outcomes.

“Translating ambition into impact requires operationalising AI in ways that deliver real and measurable outcomes. This requires the right systems, governance frameworks, infrastructure and institutional capacity to enable adoption at scale,” she said.

According to her, the success of AI deployment in Nigeria depends on building public confidence through responsible practices anchored on safety, fairness, privacy, transparency and accountability.

She said AI could help Nigeria enhance public service delivery, expand access to knowledge, improve productivity and strengthen its competitiveness in the global technology ecosystem.

Nigeria must lead Africa’s AI revolution — NITDA

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance, Emmanuel Edet, said AI had become a transformative technology with the potential to reshape every sector of the economy.

Inuwa stressed that Nigeria must avoid becoming only a consumer of foreign AI solutions and instead develop indigenous capabilities capable of addressing local challenges.

“Without public trust, AI adoption will be stalled. Without accountability, innovation will not scale sustainably, and without transparency, citizens will lose confidence in the systems designed to serve them,” he said.

He called for increased investment in local talent development, research ecosystems and policies that encourage Nigerian and African innovators to create home-grown AI solutions.

“We must become creators of intelligence rooted in our realities and responsive to our aspirations,” he said.

The NITDA boss added that the future of artificial intelligence should not merely unfold in Africa but should be shaped by Africans.

The summit attracted stakeholders from government institutions and the private sector, including representatives from the Nigeria Customs Service, National Identity Management Commission and Galaxy Backbone, who explored ways to accelerate responsible AI adoption across Nigeria.

The event comes amid growing efforts by the Federal Government and technology partners to position Nigeria as a leading hub for digital innovation and artificial intelligence development.