Toyyibat Qasim
Nigeria must invest strategically in artificial intelligence infrastructure, develop local talent and establish clear regulatory frameworks to strengthen its competitiveness in the rapidly evolving global AI industry, social impact strategist, Tolani Olawore, has said.
Olawore made the call in a LinkedIn post highlighting the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve service delivery, drive innovation and address persistent challenges across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
She stressed that Nigeria’s ambition to become a major player in the global AI ecosystem must go beyond adopting emerging technologies to building the infrastructure, human capacity and regulatory systems required to support sustainable growth.
According to her, investments in digital infrastructure and talent development would be crucial to enabling Nigerian businesses, entrepreneurs and public institutions to develop and deploy AI-powered solutions effectively.
She also identified AI governance and regulation as major factors that would shape the country’s technology landscape over the next decade.
Olawore noted that the Federal Government was exploring governance frameworks for artificial intelligence, particularly in areas involving data privacy, ethical considerations and the responsible deployment of AI systems.
She said clear regulations would become increasingly important as more businesses integrated AI into their operations, adding that effective policies should protect users and promote accountability without stifling innovation.
The strategist maintained that a balanced regulatory framework would provide businesses and individuals with clearer guidelines on the development and use of AI technologies while creating an environment conducive to innovation and investment.
Beyond its economic implications, Olawore highlighted the potential of AI to improve outcomes in healthcare, education, agriculture and governance.
In the health sector, she said AI-powered diagnostic tools could support faster disease detection, while predictive analytics could help health authorities anticipate disease outbreaks and strengthen healthcare delivery.
She also pointed to the potential of AI-powered personalised learning platforms to identify students’ learning gaps and provide more tailored educational support.
According to her, automated grading and assessment tools could equally reduce teachers’ workloads, allowing them to devote more time to instruction and student development.
In agriculture, Olawore said AI-driven weather forecasting and precision farming could help farmers make better-informed decisions, improve crop yields and reduce losses.
She noted that such technologies could become increasingly valuable as Nigeria grapples with food security concerns and the need to improve agricultural productivity.
Olawore further identified AI-driven startups as a growing area of opportunity within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, stressing that their ability to develop innovative products and expand their operations would depend partly on access to funding, reliable infrastructure and supportive regulations.
She suggested that a combination of investment, skills development and effective governance would be necessary to enable local innovators to compete more effectively in the global market.
The strategist emphasised that the coming decade would be defined not merely by how quickly countries adopted artificial intelligence, but by how effectively they translated the technology into practical benefits for their populations.
For Nigeria, she indicated, the challenge would be to build an enabling environment in which AI innovation could flourish while ensuring that its deployment remained responsible, inclusive and beneficial to society.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
'