AI, software testing to shape Nigeria’s economic future – Tinubu’s aide
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Dr Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, says Artificial Intelligence (AI) and software testing will play defining roles in shaping Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Fasua said this during the TestNigeria 4.0 conference organised by the Nigerian Software Testing Qualifications Board (NGSTQB) and sponsored by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Lagos on Tuesday.
The theme of the event was “Impact of AI on Software Testing: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Fasua said Nigeria must be proactive in adopting new technologies, stressing that software testing was no longer a back-end activity but a strategic driver of competitiveness, outsourcing and digital trust.
According to him, the nation’s youthful population, with a median age of 18.1 years, represents a demographic advantage that can fuel global digital innovation if properly trained in AI and software quality.
“Artificial intelligence is disrupting industries, including outsourcing. Nigeria cannot continue to compete only on low-cost labour.
“We must build value by carving a niche in AI-driven software quality assurance,” Fasua said.
According to him, Nigeria must be proactive in preparing its workforce to compete in the global outsourcing and software quality assurance space.
“Contactless systems are now the order of the day. Cash is going away. Receptionists and baggage handlers are being replaced by machines. These are realities we must prepare for. Our young people must not be left behind,” he said.
He urged Nigerian youth to seize technological and social leadership opportunities by innovating, creating apps and building solutions that could compete globally.
He explained that the global outsourcing model that once depended on human-driven, low cost services was now being redefined by automation and AI.
“In the past, our strength was cost effectiveness, but that model is collapsing. Today, clients want intelligent, efficient and secure services. Nigeria’s opportunity is to lead in AI-powered quality assurance,” Fasua added.
He also called for urgent investment in education, digital infrastructure and policy reforms to prepare young Nigerians for roles in AI testing and related fields.
Fasua further linked AI testing to national security, saying that financial platforms, telecom systems and public-sector applications must be reliable and trustworthy if the digital economy was to thrive.
He noted that nations that failed to adopt AI testing standards risked producing weak and unreliable systems that would erode public confidence.
According to him, government is determined to mainstream technology adoption by supporting innovation, funding research and building partnerships with industry stakeholders.
Mr Bode Dare, President of NGSTQB, said TestNigeria had become the foremost platform for setting the agenda on software testing and quality assurance in the country.
Dare said AI was already enabling faster automation, predictive defect analysis and smarter test coverage, but cautioned that challenges remained, including poor data quality, algorithmic bias, skill shortages and AI hallucinations.
“You cannot ask AI to generate a test scenario without checking it manually, because hallucinations exist. That is why we insist that Nigeria must not be left behind in AI testing,” Dare said.
He urged banks, fintechs, telecom companies, startups, and government agencies to adopt AI testing to safeguard their digital platforms.
Dare also stressed the need for urgent certification, noting that the ISTQB Generative AI Testing Certification, which was launched globally, would equip Nigerian testers to both test AI systems and apply AI in testing.
“This certification is about the future of work. It ensures our talent remains globally competitive in software testing and not redundant in the AI era,” he added.
He said NGSTQB’s efforts were aimed at creating a culture of software quality in Nigeria, where digital products meet global benchmarks and inspire trust among users.
Dare said the board would continue to drive advocacy, training and partnerships to prepare Nigeria’s software testers for the demands of the AI-powered economy.
On her part, Dr. Klaudia Dussa-Zieger, President of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), said the board had continued to play a vital role in advancing the software testing profession globally through knowledge sharing, standardization, and certification.
She said the body, established over two decades ago, had grown into a worldwide scheme with more than one million certified testers across continents, including Nigeria, reflecting its acceptance and relevance in the technology ecosystem.
Dussa-Zieger said the introduction of a new syllabus on testing with generative Artificial Intelligence marked a milestone in strengthening the capabilities of software testers to meet emerging challenges.
According to her, the syllabus, launched in July 2025, addresses issues of bias, hallucination, data security, privacy, environmental impact, and regulatory compliance.
The ISTQB president also offered practical skills in prompt engineering and the integration of AI into testing processes.
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