Nigeria Advocates for Continental AI Compute Pool to Boost African Innovation

Nigeria has proposed a pan-African initiative to consolidate computing resources, enabling researchers across the continent to undertake large-scale AI projects that would be impossible for individual nations to manage alone. This proposal, articulated by Communications Minister Bosun Tijani at the BUILD 2026 conference in Abuja, highlights the critical need for shared infrastructure to foster indigenous AI development.

The minister emphasized that access to computing power, reliable electricity, robust connectivity, and advanced chips are crucial for African countries to actively shape the future of artificial intelligence rather than remaining dependent on foreign technologies. He pointed out that while Nigeria has improved its AI readiness, sustained investment in infrastructure is essential to prevent a widening technological gap due to rapid chip development and global supply chain issues.

The BUILD 2026 conference, organized by the Nigeria AI Collective, focuses on infrastructure, economics, and digital sovereignty in AI. The Collective, a community of practice involving various stakeholders from government to research, aims to align Nigeria's AI development with its national strategy, ensuring it is locally relevant and globally competitive. The initiative seeks to promote collaborative efforts among African innovators to build a shared AI future.