Nigeria is calling for deeper cooperation among African nations to strengthen the continent’s artificial intelligence capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign technology infrastructure as global competition around AI intensifies.
The appeal was made by Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), warning that Africa risks remaining a consumer of global technology if it fails to invest collectively in its own cloud computing and AI infrastructure.
According to Abdullahi, Africa represents between 15 and 19 per cent of the world’s population but contributes less than 0.6 per cent of global data centre computing power, a gap he described as a major challenge for the continent’s digital future. He stressed that AI development increasingly depends on access to large-scale cloud and compute infrastructure, areas where Africa remains heavily reliant on international providers.
“This revolution is about AI and cloudification,” Abdullahi said, warning that Africa must avoid repeating previous industrial-era patterns where the continent supplied resources and talent without building sustainable technology ecosystems of its own.
NITDA said African countries are now exploring ways to create interconnected digital infrastructure across the continent through what Abdullahi described as a “cloud of clouds” approach. The initiative would link existing national infrastructure rather than rely on a single centralised system, with officials referencing Europe’s GAIA-X framework as a possible model for regional cooperation.
Nigeria has increasingly positioned artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty at the centre of its technology strategy. The country is advancing its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy while also expanding investments in digital governance, cloud services and local technology capacity. Recent initiatives include AI training programmes for civil servants and efforts to modernise public sector digital systems.
Analysts say the push for regional AI cooperation reflects growing concern among African policymakers that the continent could fall behind in the global AI race without stronger investment in local infrastructure, skills development and regulatory coordination.
Industry observers also note that Africa’s young population and rapidly expanding digital economy could position the continent as a major future AI market if governments successfully coordinate investment in computing power, connectivity and talent development.