The Nigerian Government has successfully secured a substantial grant of N2.8 billion from Google, aimed at advancing artificial intelligence (AI) talent development across the nation.
This partnership was unveiled at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who emphasized the importance of this funding in closing skill gaps and positioning Nigeria at the forefront of AI innovation in Africa.
“This support from Google underscores our commitment to establishing Nigeria as a leader in AI innovation,” Tijani stated. He highlighted that the grant will facilitate initiatives to train Nigerian youth and bolster AI startups, ultimately enhancing job opportunities and fostering economic resilience nationwide.
The Google grant is part of a broader $5.8 million commitment to digital skill development across sub-Saharan Africa, following the recent launch of a N100 million AI fund in collaboration with Google. Tijani pointed out that the initiative will focus on critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance, with selected AI startups playing a crucial role in addressing local challenges and driving sustainable growth.
“The development we envision for Nigeria cannot be achieved by government efforts alone. Our role is to set the agenda, but partnerships like this are essential for building the economy we aspire to,” he added.
Google EMEA President Matt Brittin remarked that the grant will support Nigeria’s ongoing “3 Million Technical Talents” program, designed to develop AI skills for 20,000 Nigerians. Launched on October 13, the program aims to strengthen Nigeria’s technical talent pipeline, positioning the country as a net exporter of digital expertise.
Brittin shared that through this initiative, Google plans to train 125,000 educators and empower 10 promising Nigerian AI startups with N100 million, alongside $3.5 million in Google Cloud Credits and mentorship from Google engineers. “We’re providing N2.8 billion to the Data Scientists Network Foundation in support of the Minister’s vision for AI growth in Nigeria. This funding will advance AI skills and opportunities across the country,” he stated.
