Experts and advocates are calling on Nigeria to take urgent steps to prepare for the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across key sectors.
According to a statement made available to The PUNCH, AI Futures and Governance Reform Advocate Afolashade Jubrilla said AI is already reshaping industries such as fintech, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, and Nigeria risks being left behind without a coordinated national strategy.
Jubrilla said the country faces significant gaps in digital skills, infrastructure, regulation, and strategic planning.
“AI is no longer a future concept; it is transforming economies and societies now,” Jubrilla said.
In the financial sector, AI is enabling banks and fintech firms to expand access to credit, detect fraud, and offer personalised services. In healthcare, AI-powered diagnostic tools and predictive analytics are helping to address shortages in medical personnel and improve patient care. Agricultural technologies are using AI to optimise planting, reduce waste, and boost productivity, while energy and urban systems can benefit from predictive planning and smart management.
She emphasised that the benefits of AI will only be realised if Nigeria invests in human capital, strengthens digital infrastructure, implements ethical AI regulations, and fosters cross-sector collaboration.
Jubrilla warns that without action, AI could widen inequality rather than promote inclusion.
“Strategic investment, ethical governance, and skills development are essential,” she said. “Nigeria must adapt with purpose or risk falling behind in a world increasingly driven by intelligence at scale.”
She pointed out that in Nigeria, agritech startups are harnessing AI to provide predictive weather analytics, optimise planting cycles, and reduce waste, stressing that these technologies empower farmers to make real‑time decisions, but access, digital literacy, and affordable connectivity remain barriers.
Jubrilla noted, “If Nigeria invests strategically, AI can transform agriculture from subsistence to market‑driven, climate‑resilient, digitally enabled work.
“AI is integral to modern energy management, predicting demand, optimising grid performance, and reducing operational waste. Intelligent systems are also redefining infrastructure planning, from traffic flow optimisation to predictive maintenance in buildings and utilities.
“For a country with growing urban populations and complex infrastructure needs, AI can enable efficient energy distribution, smart public utility systems, data‑driven urban planning, and predictive maintenance for transport networks. This is not futuristic tech; it is productive infrastructure policy in action.”
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