Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, has announced a substantial ₦3 billion (approximately $2.1 million)commitment to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation. The funding will be deployed through a strategic, two-pillar initiative focused on cultivating advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent and strengthening nationwide digital safety and cybersecurity.
The announcement, made recently in Lagos by Google’s Director for West Africa, Olumide Balogun, aligns directly with the Nigerian Federal Government’s National AI Strategy and its ambitious target of creating one million digital jobs. The intervention is timed to help Nigeria capitalize on the projected $15 billion in economic value that AI is expected to unlock for the country by 2030, according to analysis by Public First.
“This dual focus ensures the country has both the skilled workforce and the secure environment needed for its economic growth to be sustainable and inclusive,” Balogun stated, emphasizing that the commitment is an “investment in people.”
The Two-Pillar Implementation Strategy
The N3 billion commitment will be channeled through five specialized partner organizations, each tasked with executing a specific part of the dual-pronged strategy:
Pillar 1: Building Advanced AI Talent
This pillar focuses on embedding cutting-edge AI skills into the nation’s technical education pipeline:
-
FATE Foundation & African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS): These organizations will collaborate to integrate an advanced AI curriculum directly into participating universities, empowering tertiary institutions, lecturers, and students with deep AI competencies. This effort is designed to directly address the urgent need for specialized AI expertise.
-
African Technology Forum (ATF): The ATF will launch a dedicated innovation challenge to guide developers through the crucial phase of transitioning from classroom learning to building viable, real-world AI products and solutions.
Pillar 2: Strengthening Digital Safety and Security
Recognizing that a thriving digital economy requires robust security, this pillar targets both public institutions and youth:
-
Junior Achievement (JA) Africa: The organization will scale up the “Be Internet Awesome” curriculum, teaching crucial digital citizenship and online safety skills to young people across the country.
-
CyberSafe Foundation: This foundation will focus on enhancing the cybersecurity posture of public institutions, helping to protect sensitive data and critical digital infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Government and Partner Endorsement
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, welcomed the timely investment, highlighting AI as “the heart of Nigeria’s desire to raise the level of productivity in our economy and to compete globally.” He stressed that the partnership directly supports the government’s drive to operationalize the National AI Strategy.
Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director of FATE Foundation, underscored the continental impact, noting that the initiative is a “direct response to the urgent need for deep AI competencies in Africa,” positioning the continent to lead in the global technological future.
This latest funding builds on Google’s long-standing relationship with Nigeria, which includes infrastructure investment like the Equiano subsea cable and the successful 2023 “Skills Sprint” program, a N1.2 billion initiative that trained over 20,000 participants in AI and tech skills.
