The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has called on African nations to collaborate in developing shared Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure, insisting that the continent must take the lead in the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Inuwa made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) Nigeria Conference 2025 in Abuja. He warned that Africa must not repeat the mistakes of past industrial revolutions where it played a marginal role, stressing that AI presents a rare opportunity for the continent to become a global driver of innovation.
“Any country left behind in this AI revolution risks catastrophe, while those who lead will shape the world,” he said.
Citing projections by global research firm Epoch AI, Inuwa noted that automation and AI adoption could boost global economic growth by 20 percent and potentially double the size of the world economy within five years. He urged Africa to invest in AI capabilities to secure its place in the digital future.
The NITDA DG outlined four pillars for Africa’s AI agenda: **human capital development**, through initiatives like Nigeria’s 3 Million Tech Talent (3MTT) programme; **infrastructure**, including connectivity expansion, modern data centres and high-performance computing; **policy and legal frameworks**, with Nigeria already drafting a national AI strategy under the supervision of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; and **ecosystem support**, by funding startups, strengthening research institutions, and partnering with global technology companies.
Inuwa revealed that Nigeria has already funded 45 AI-focused startups and emphasized the importance of developing local large language models (LLMs) to preserve Africa’s languages, histories and values.
“Our languages, histories, and values must not be erased in the next wave of technological change. We need African LLMs that can tell our stories and preserve our cultural heritage in the age of AI,” he said.
Also speaking at the conference, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, urged African countries to embrace AI as a driver of productivity, competitiveness and job creation. He cautioned that without rapid adoption, the continent risks falling further behind as other nations record gains in agriculture, finance, logistics and education.
“AI will widen the productivity gap between nations. Countries that are already ahead will move even faster, while those still catching up will find it even more difficult,” Tijani said.
Earlier, the Executive Vice President of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Trixie LohMirmand, described Nigeria as a country of immense opportunities, urging deeper global collaboration to ensure it secures a central place in the AI economy.
“Nigeria is not defined by the headlines or its current challenges, but by the scale of opportunities of tomorrow. Those who stay the course are the future of Africa,” she said.
LohMirmand reaffirmed DWTC’s commitment to Africa, adding that GITEX Nigeria will serve as a platform for startups, SMEs and innovators to build global partnerships and compete internationally.
