Aligning with global tech leaders can position Nigeria to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), encourage local innovation, and integrate more deeply into the global digital economy.

Nigeria and Google are continuing their discussions to make the country a hub for digital innovation in Africa. During a two-day workshop held on May 6th and 7th, 2025, they explored refining a draft implementation framework. The partnership stems from a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Paris in February 2025

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), acting under presidential directive, is coordinating the project with Google, identifying practical use cases and stakeholder needs across sectors. During the workshop, Google showcased successful global digital interventions to demonstrate how targeted investment in technology can improve economic resilience, institutional efficiency, and social inclusion.

Structured around five core pillars, the collaboration focuses on building scalable digital infrastructure, empowering the workforce with digital skills, driving AI innovation and research, promoting cloud adoption for digital government, and strengthening investment frameworks for sustainable growth.

The collaboration builds on Google's earlier commitment of ₦2.8 billion (approximately $3.6 million), announced in October 2024, to support Nigeria’s digital economy—an investment aligned with the Federal Government’s Strategic Blueprint for Digital Transformation.

The partnership marks a pivotal step in fast-tracking digital transformation, economic growth, and job creation within Africa’s largest economy. With the World Economic Forum projecting that AI and automation will generate 97 million new jobs globally by 2025, equipping Nigerians with AI and digital skills is critical, not only to bridge the digital divide but also to future-proof the workforce and ensure inclusive participation in the digital economy.

Hikmatu Bilali