Microsoft has urged Nigeria to shift its focus from drafting artificial intelligence policies to operationalising the technology for tangible, measurable impact across government, industry, and society.
Mrs Nonye Ujam, Director of Government Affairs for West Africa at Microsoft, stated this at the AI Summit Nigeria in Abuja, organised by Microsoft in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and MTN. The summit's theme was “From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption for Nigeria’s Digital Decade.”
Ujam highlighted Nigeria's leadership in AI adoption through initiatives like the National AI Strategy and data governance frameworks. She stressed that as the focus shifts to implementation, the priority is to translate ambition into impact by operationalising AI in ways that deliver real outcomes, requiring the right systems, governance, infrastructure, and capacity.
“Trusted AI must be built collaboratively, grounded in local realities, aligned with national priorities and guided by public interest,” Ujam added, emphasizing that AI innovations must be built on reliability, safety, fairness, privacy, security, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability to foster public trust.
She noted that AI presents an opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen national capabilities and enhance its long-term competitiveness in the global digital economy by improving public service delivery, expanding access to knowledge, and increasing productivity.
NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance Emmanuel Edet, stated that AI is a transformative general-purpose technology and that Nigeria possesses the talent to drive Africa’s AI economy.
“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,” Edet said.
Inuwa also advocated for Nigeria to pursue digital sovereignty, becoming creators of intelligence rooted in local realities and responsive to national aspirations, rather than remaining a consumer of AI developed elsewhere. He stressed the need to build local talent, strengthen research ecosystems, and create an enabling environment for Nigerian and African solutions to thrive.
The summit convened government and private sector stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Identity Management Commission, and Galaxy Backbone, to discuss strategies for scaling responsible AI adoption.
Microsoft's commitment to Nigeria's digital transformation is evident, with over four million Nigerians equipped with digital skills since 2021 through its collaboration with the Federal Government, as reported by Nairametrics in December 2025.
In parallel, global 5G subscriptions reached 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, with 162 million new subscriptions added, according to Ericsson’s June 2026 Mobility Report. The report projects these subscriptions to more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031.
Globally, 390 service providers have launched commercial 5G services, and over 90 have deployed 5G Standalone networks. 5G networks carried 48% of global mobile data traffic at the end of 2025, a figure expected to climb to 85% by 2031.
While 5G adoption is strong in regions like North America and Europe, growth in Africa remains limited despite significant potential. Ericsson noted that broader deployment of 5G infrastructure and supportive policies could unlock opportunities across the continent.
In Nigeria, 5G connections reached 4 million by December 2024, accounting for 2.46% of the country’s 164.6 million active telephone subscriptions. MTN, Airtel, and Mafab Communications are the primary operators offering 5G services in Nigeria.
