Nigeria Risks Remaining AI Consumer Without Local Infrastructure
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem have called for accelerated investment in local ArtificiaI Intelligence (AI) infrastructure, data centres and indigenous models to reduce dependence on foreign technology platforms.
They made the call during a panel session at the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (WATISE) 4.0 in Lagos on Thursday.
The theme of the event was: “The Resilient AI Fabric: Trust, Integrity and Sustainability in Next Generation Network Infrastructure.”
Mr Chidi Ajuzie, the Chief Operating Officer at WTES Group, said Nigeria’s ability to benefit from AI depended largely on investments in connectivity, digital literacy, local hosting facilities and AI-ready infrastructure.
Ajuzie said Nigeria remained largely a consumer within the global AI ecosystem, with limited participation in hardware manufacturing, cloud computing and AI model development.
According to him, the country relies heavily on foreign providers for chipsets, cloud services and AI platforms, creating challenges around costs, accessibility and long-term sustainability.
“To truly benefit from AI, Nigeria must move beyond consumption and begin investing in local capacity, including infrastructure, talent development and indigenous innovation,” Ajuzie said.
He stressed the need for local datasets and indigenous AI models capable of reflecting African languages, cultures and realities.
He said investments in education, digital skills, cybersecurity and infrastructure would be critical to building a competitive AI ecosystem.
Speaking on infrastructure, Mr Seun Olorunnisola of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), said local internet traffic exchange remained vital to AI growth.
Olorunnisola said bringing content and AI services closer to users would improve speed, reduce latency and enhance user experience.
“Keeping more internet traffic within Nigeria will reduce latency, improve service quality and create a stronger foundation for AI applications and digital services,” Olorunnisola said.
He added that Nigeria would require more data centres and computing facilities to support future AI workloads and large-scale model training.
According to him, AI development within Nigeria would become more viable as more internet traffic and digital content are localised.
Mr Olusola Teniola, Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX, identified accessibility, availability and affordability as critical factors for AI adoption.
Teniola said Nigeria and other African countries must develop confidence to build AI solutions tailored to local realities rather than relying solely on imported technologies.
He noted that telecommunications infrastructure remained the foundation of financial inclusion and the broader digital economy.
According to him, protecting telecom infrastructure from vandalism and damage is essential for sustaining digital services and building public trust.
“We must create an environment where infrastructure investments are protected and innovation is encouraged, enabling Nigeria to compete effectively in the global digital economy,” Teniola said.
He urged governments to create policies that supported infrastructure deployment while encouraging innovation and investment across the digital sector.
Also speaking, Mr Stephen Adeoye, National Secretary of the Association of Financial Inclusion Agents of Nigeria (AFIAN), said AI was already improving fraud detection and financial services delivery.
Adeoye said financial institutions and fintech firms increasingly deploy AI tools to monitor suspicious transactions, support lending decisions and strengthen customer verification processes.
He said the transition to more advanced digital platforms would further enhance financial inclusion and transaction security across the country.
The AFIAN official also emphasised the importance of public awareness and continuous education to ensure safe and responsible use of digital technologies.
The stakeholders agreed that stronger infrastructure, local innovation and digital skills development would determine Nigeria’s ability to compete in the emerging AI-driven economy. AI Stocks Drive Wall Street Rally, European Equities Climb
