Microsoft tasks Nigeria on operationalising AI for tangible impact

Microsoft has urged Nigeria to move beyond Artificial Intelligence (AI) policies and focus on operationalising the technology to deliver measurable benefits for government, industry and society.

Mrs Nonye Ujam, Director of Government Affairs, West Africa, Microsoft, made the call on Tuesday at the AI Summit Nigeria, held in Abuja.

The summit, with the theme “From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption for Nigeria’s Digital Decade,” was organised by Microsoft in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and MTN.

The summit brought together stakeholders from government and the private sector to discuss strategies for scaling responsible AI adoption.

Ujam said Nigeria had shown leadership in accelerating AI adoption through initiatives such as the National AI Strategy, data governance frameworks and regulatory reforms.

According to her, the country is positioning itself not only to participate in the global AI economy but also to help shape it.

“As the focus shifts from strategy to implementation, the priority is to translate ambition into impact by operationalising AI in ways that deliver real and measurable outcomes.

“This requires the right systems, governance frameworks, infrastructure and institutional capacity to enable AI adoption at scale,” she said.

She stressed that AI innovations must be anchored on fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, inclusiveness, transparency and accountability to foster public trust.

According to the Microsoft boss, AI presents an opportunity to strengthen national capabilities while enhancing Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness in the global digital economy.

She added that AI could drive inclusive growth by improving public service delivery, expanding access to knowledge, increasing productivity and unlocking opportunities at scale.

“Trusted AI must be built collaboratively, grounded in local realities, aligned with national priorities and guided by public interest,” she said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of NITDA, Malam Kashifu Inuwa, said AI was a general-purpose technology transforming all sectors and that Nigeria possessed the talent and capacity to drive Africa’s AI economy.

Represented by Mr Emmanuel Edet, Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance, Inuwa said trust remained the foundation for sustainable AI adoption.

“Without public trust, AI adoption will be stalled. Without accountability, innovation will not scale sustainably, and without transparency, citizens will lose confidence in the systems designed to serve them.

“This is why Nigeria’s approach is centred on responsible AI,” he said.

He also emphasised the need for digital sovereignty, saying Nigeria should not remain merely a consumer of intelligence developed elsewhere.

“We must become creators of intelligence rooted in our realities and responsive to our aspirations. We must build local talent, strengthen research ecosystems and create an enabling environment where Nigerian and African solutions can thrive.

“The future of AI should not simply happen in Africa; Africa must shape it,” he said.

The summit featured discussions on regulatory clarity for government AI, digital sovereignty, and balancing control, collaboration and innovation in Nigeria and West Africa.

Participants included representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, National Identity Management Commission, Galaxy Backbone, and other public and private sector organisations.

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