Nigeria's AI Future Depends on Adoption, Not Access

Tochi Kanu-Ivi, a Customer Success Manager at UiPath, argues that Nigeria's future in artificial intelligence (AI) hinges on adoption rather than just access. Despite a 2024 Google–Ipsos survey indicating that 70% of Nigerians have used AI applications like ChatGPT, Kanu-Ivi points out that many have not integrated AI into their work processes effectively.

She highlights a significant gap between those who have experimented with AI and organizations that have adopted it to enhance productivity and service delivery. The World Economic Forum predicts that AI could displace approximately nine million jobs while creating 11 million by 2030.

In Nigeria, the International Finance Corporation estimates that about 28 million workers will require digital skills by the decade's end. Kanu-Ivi introduces a five-step methodology called EDITT—Empathise, Diagnose, Ideate, Test, Translate—to assist non-technical professionals in adopting AI in their jobs.

This framework aims to identify barriers, generate use cases, and translate results into measurable value for employers.