Nigeria has emerged as a hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) enthusiasm, with Google’s latest search trends revealing a 130% surge in AI-related searches. The country ranks 6th in Africa and 25th globally, demonstrating a growing appetite for AI knowledge and application.
Searches for AI-driven career development and creative pursuits have skyrocketed, with queries like “create a logo with AI” and “design a website with AI” increasing by over 5,000%. Nigerians are eager to harness AI for professional advancement and innovation.
Searches for AI courses have jumped by 50%, while questions about AI’s learnability and accessibility abound. Nigerians are actively seeking to understand and leverage AI for business, job opportunities, and societal impact.
As AI interest grows, so does concern for cybersecurity, with searches increasing by 80%. Nigerians are recognizing the importance of secure AI integration in various sectors, including healthcare, STEM, and hospitals.
Commenting on the trends, West Africa Director at Google, Olumide Balogun, said: “AI has the potential to create opportunities – from the extraordinary to the everyday – for everyone: bringing new waves of innovation, social and economic progress. So it’s no surprise that the people of Nigeria are already looking to make the most of this transformational technology – finding ways for it to boost their career, creativity, and society.”
Nigerians’ growing interest in AI also aligns with the government’s moves to deepen the country’s capacity in this technology.
The government’s proactive approach to AI development has fostered a supportive ecosystem, with initiatives like the AI Research Scheme and the launch of Nigeria’s first Multilingual Large Language Model (LLM). Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani’s commitment to making Nigeria an AI leader is bearing fruit.
