Microsoft has announced a significant milestone in its ongoing collaboration with the Nigerian government, revealing that over four million citizens have received digital training since 2021. During a media briefing in Lagos, Nonye Ujam, Microsoft’s Director for Government Affairs for West Africa, highlighted that this achievement is a testament to the nation’s rapid evolution within the global digital economy.
The initiative has seen particularly strong engagement among students, with 350,000 young people participating in specialized programs. Of these, 63,000 have successfully finished dedicated training tracks, while 43,000 have earned internationally recognized certifications.
Advancing the AI Frontier
A major pillar of the current strategy is the Artificial Intelligence National Skills Initiative (AINSI). Microsoft is now targeting an additional 350,000 Nigerians for AI-specific training. This effort is being executed alongside key partners including Data Science Nigeria (DSN) and the Lagos Business School (LBS).
The push for AI fluency includes:
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Public Sector Integration: Through the “Developers in Government” (DevsInGov) and the “3 Million Technical Talent” (3MTT) initiatives, hundreds of public sector workers are being trained in data analytics and machine learning.
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Advanced Tech Talent: Approximately 1,000 developers are mastering high-level fields such as DevOps and data science to create a robust pipeline of local technical expertise.
The Economic Urgency of AI Adoption
Abideen Yusuf, Country General Manager for Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, noted that while Nigeria’s AI adoption rate currently sits at 8.7% (just below the regional average), the stakes are incredibly high. With AI projected to add $1.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030, Yusuf emphasized that Nigeria’s young population—with a median age of 18—must lead this charge.
Microsoft’s strategy focuses on three pillars: Innovation, Infrastructure, and Skills.
Governance and Grassroots Reach
The partnership extends beyond technical coding to include leadership and ethics. Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, shared that 99 public sector leaders from 58 different agencies have been trained. The goal is to ensure that policymakers can navigate the ethical implications of AI while using it to solve real-world problems like agricultural efficiency and credit access.
To ensure no one is left behind, the initiative utilizes a grassroots approach. DSN’s Bayo Adekanmbi highlighted that 38 training partners nationwide have been equipped with the necessary infrastructure to bring digital education to local communities.
Looking ahead, the second phase of AINSI aims to reach one million citizens over the next three years, cementing AI as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s national competitiveness and inclusive growth.
