Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at a pace few could have imagined. Yet the real danger is not that AI will replace strategy; it is that companies without strategy will be exposed.
Technology does not create discipline; it amplifies it. Firms with a clear vision and strong systems will find that AI accelerates their growth. Those without will discover that AI magnifies their weaknesses, turning small cracks into structural failures.
In Nigeria’s rapidly digitising economy, where ICT now drives nearly one-fifth of GDP, the question is no longer whether to adopt AI. The question is whether leaders can build the strategic backbone that makes adoption meaningful.
1. ICT as Nigeria’s new growth engine
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector contributed 17.68% of Nigeria’s real GDP in 2024, up from 17.34% in 2023. In Q2 2024, ICT’s share peaked at 19.78%, while in Q4 it stood at 17.00%. The telecommunications subsector alone contributed 14.4% in Q4 2024.
This is not noise. It signals a fundamental shift: Nigeria’s economy is becoming digital-first. Investors are already rewarding firms that treat data as a strategic asset. In October 2024, a Lagos fintech raised $110 million in Series C funding, reaching unicorn status, and by October 2025, the round had expanded to $200 million.
The lesson is clear: capital flows toward firms that build scalable infrastructure around data and payments. In this environment, treating AI as optional is like ignoring electricity in the industrial age. Firms that fail to adapt risk irrelevance.
2. Policy, governance, and clarity: The survival code
In August 2024, Nigeria published its first national AI strategy through the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR). The plan emphasises infrastructure, human capital, governance, and ethics.
This public commitment lowers entry barriers for firms willing to build for the future. But it also raises the cost of inertia. As regulation, capital, and consumer demand align around data-driven models, companies that remain passive will be punished by the very environment they ignore.
Governance is central to this shift. Nigeria’s emerging data protection laws and cybersecurity guidelines demand accountability. The national AI strategy itself highlights ethics, privacy, and security as foundations for sustainable deployment.
Yet governance alone is not enough. Firms must also pursue strategic clarity, defining business problems, controlling data flows, and integrating AI into operations with purpose. Without clarity, governance becomes a checklist; with clarity, it becomes a competitive advantage.
AI is not a replacement for strategy. It is a force multiplier. It punishes confusion and rewards discipline. Companies that embed governance into a clear strategy will be the ones positioned to win.
3. Pilots without strategy = Limited results
Across Nigeria, banks and fintechs are experimenting with AI, from credit scoring models that assess borrower risk to fraud detection systems that flag suspicious transactions to chatbots and digital assistants that improve customer support.
But most of these deployments remain pilots or partial integrations, not yet scaled across core operations. The reason is not technological limits but strategic ones: leaders often fail to define clear business objectives or build the data strategies needed to sustain adoption.
The result: higher costs, unmet expectations, and limited returns. AI without a strategy is like building a house without a blueprint. You may lay bricks, but you won’t end up with a home.
4. Talent and skills: The human side of AI strategy
No matter how advanced the tools, AI adoption ultimately depends on people. Nigeria’s digital economy cannot scale without a workforce that understands both the technology and the business problems it is meant to solve.
Upskilling employees in data literacy, machine learning basics, and digital collaboration is no longer optional. Firms that invest in training create teams that can adapt quickly, integrate AI into daily workflows, and spot opportunities for innovation.
The gap is clear: while startups often attract digitally savvy talent, many established firms lag behind in reskilling. Bridging this divide requires deliberate investment in education, partnerships with universities, and continuous learning programmes inside organisations.
AI may stress-test strategy, but it also stress-tests culture. Companies that empower employees to grow with technology will find adoption smoother, morale stronger, and innovation more sustainable.
Technology does not forgive confusion. AI accelerates what is already there — discipline or disorder, vision or drift. For Nigerian companies, the challenge is not whether to adopt AI, but whether to build the strategic backbone that makes adoption meaningful. The future belongs to those who can connect ambition with execution.
Agathas Agu is a product and programme management expert with a background in enterprise technology and experience as an Oracle Applications Developer. She combines technical skill with strategic leadership to drive digital transformation, streamline operations, and deliver user-focused solutions. Agathas is known for bridging business and technical teams to deliver impact at scale.
