Nigeria Opens First National AI Centre at the University of Jos

Nigeria has launched its first National AI Centre of Excellence at the University of Jos.

The new centre marks a major step in Nigeria’s plan to grow local artificial intelligence research. It also signals a push to develop talent and strengthen the country’s role in the global AI ecosystem.

The National AI Centre of Excellence was unveiled by Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. The launch took place during the University of Jos’ 50th convocation ceremony.

The federal government will support the centre through the ministry. Officials say it will act as a national hub for advanced AI research, skills development and policy engagement.

Tijani said the initiative shows Nigeria’s resolve to move beyond consuming foreign AI tools.

“Nigeria does not want to remain a passive consumer of artificial intelligence or a rule taker in global AI governance,” he said.

Why the AI Centre Matters

The minister linked the National AI Centre of Excellence to Nigeria’s fast-growing population. He noted that the country now has more than 240 million people. He added that the population grows by about five million each year.

According to Tijani, Nigeria must help shape how AI systems are built and governed. He said this is essential as the country’s population could approach 500 million within two decades.

“AI is built on numbers, and Nigeria has the numbers,” Tijani said.
“We are too big a country not to participate meaningfully in artificial intelligence.”

A core focus of the National AI Centre of Excellence will be inclusive research. The centre aims to improve data representation across Nigerian languages, cultures and economic realities.

Tijani stressed that universities must lead this work. He said local datasets are critical for building AI systems that reflect Nigeria’s diversity, rather than relying on foreign data.

He also challenged the idea that global AI leadership depends only on computing power. According to him, long-term academic investment helped countries like France and the United States advance in machine learning.

Nigeria’s universities, he said, must take a similar path. Deep research is needed if AI is to deliver real economic and social value.

The University of Jos was selected as part of a wider strategy to strengthen Nigerian universities. Tijani, an alumnus of the school, said institutions must actively shape the country’s digital future.

The National AI Centre of Excellence is expected to support talent development, research partnerships and policy advice. Its role will expand as Nigeria pushes its digital economy agenda from 2026 onwards.