By Milcah Tanimu
The Nigerian federal government has received a N2.8 billion grant from Google to promote AI development and digital skills in the country. Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced the grant at a press briefing in Abuja, highlighting its potential to empower Nigerians with AI skills and reduce unemployment.
This funding builds on Google’s previous N100 million AI initiative in Nigeria and is part of its $5.8 million investment in digital skills across sub-Saharan Africa. The grant aligns with Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) program, which aims to equip 20,000 young Nigerians with AI and data science expertise over four years.
Matt Brittin, Google EMEA president, stated that 125,000 educators would receive training to reach 125,000 students in AI fundamentals. Additionally, Google’s support includes funding and cloud resources for 10 Nigerian AI startups like BetaLife Health, Farmspeak, and Trade Lenda, which tackle challenges in healthcare, agriculture, and other key sectors. Through these initiatives, Nigeria aims to build a robust AI ecosystem that contributes to sustainable economic growth.
