On Wednesday, February 12, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held strategic talks with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Paris, France, focusing on advancing Nigeria’s role in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation.
According to a message posted on Tinubu’s verified X handle, @officialABAT, the meeting explored potential collaborations aimed at establishing Nigeria as a global technology hub.
Following the discussions, Tinubu described the engagement as a major step toward harnessing AI and digital technology for national development.
“We are exploring partnership opportunities with Google, which will focus on five key areas: enhancing scalable cloud infrastructure, equipping our workforce with essential skills for the future, promoting AI innovation and research, driving cloud adoption, and elevating Nigeria’s standing in the global tech landscape as a hub for innovation and AI transition,” Tinubu said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s growing AI ecosystem, the President cited Awarri Technologies as a key player in the sector. He revealed that the government is collaborating with Awarri to develop critical AI software infrastructure tailored to Nigeria’s unique needs in arts, culture, and languages—areas often overlooked by existing AI models.
“This includes data capture platforms and a large language model (LLM) for Nigerian languages in partnership with the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR),” he added.
Tinubu emphasized that the discussions align with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification through industrialization, digitization, and innovation.
He noted that the initiative would empower businesses, create new opportunities, and position Nigeria as a major force in the global digital economy.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy will oversee the partnership, while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will spearhead its implementation.
“Nigeria is poised to take the lead in AI and technology—this is merely the start of an exciting journey!” Tinubu declared.
With this push for AI-driven growth, Nigeria is setting the stage for Africa’s digital transformation, leveraging global partnerships to drive innovation and economic progress.
