In the 1980s and early 1990s, proficiency in typewriting was a ticket to administrative relevance as government offices and private companies relied on typists to process documentation, and secretarial schools flourished.
Today, with personal computers and digital communication, that entire job category has virtually disappeared and the same occurrence is looming with an even bigger transformation with Artificial Intelligence(AI).
AI is the engine behind finance, commerce, logistics, search, search, healthcare, and national security and as those without AI skills are at risk of becoming as the typewriters of the previous age.
A recent study by the Brookings Institution states that Nigeria is underperforming in terms of AI research output, institutional support, and local investment.
The plot twist is that Nigeria has one of the world’s largest populations of young, digitally native individuals, which is exactly the demographic that could power an economy.
However, despite a booming youth population and an expanding tech ecosystem, Nigeria still lags significantly in AI adoption and capability development.
Countries such as India, UAE, and Rwanda are embedding AI into their national policy, while Nigeria still lags in fully articulating a comprehensive national AI strategy.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, stated the need for Nigeria to ensure that institutions are agile, workforce is upskilled, and regulatory framework is enabling rather than restrictive.
“We must lead, not lag, in the committee of nations,” he stated while pointing out that as a country, one of the major historical missteps made during previous technological disruptions, particularly during the internet revolution and early digitisation was allowing innovation to significantly outpace policy and regulatory development.
“We were often caught reacting to innovation rather than preparing for it. This lag in policy formulation resulted in delayed adoption, stifled innovation, lack of early investment in critical infrastructure, and in some cases, loss of competitive advantage to more proactive nations.
“With AI, we must not repeat this mistake. Thankfully, Nigeria now has a national AI strategy, and that’s a good starting point,” he noted.
As the world races into an AI-first future, Nigeria finds itself at a critical point between opportunity and obsolescence.
This is like the era of typewriters which is now extinct, hence the failure to adopt the new digital approach known as ‘AI’ could render the Nigerian workforce obsolete in global relevance.
The urgent need to build AI capabilities is here and Nigeria needs a workforce that understands, builds, and maintains these systems. Here is what can be done:
Integration of AI into National Curriculum
AI and data science should become core parts of Nigeria’s educational curriculum just as computer literacy became mandatory in schools post-typewriter.
AI can multiply productivity, reduce human error, predict trends, optimise supply chains, personalise education, and automate repetitive tasks.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) needs to revise ICT-related programmes to include machine learning, ethics in AI, natural language processing, and robotics.
Public-Private partnerships
AI education can not be left to only government effort at this point, other private-led organisations such as telecommunication, banks, oil and gas, can fund AI education, research, and local applications.
A partnership between the Ministry of Education and tech companies could see AI labs established in federal universities.
Upskilling of workforce
There is a massive need to upskill the Nigerian workforce. The government together with the private sector can jointly sponsor these schemes.
There can be AI bootcamps, online certifications, and vocational training programs. Platforms such as Coursera, Udacity, and local hubs such as Data Science Nigeria and AI Saturdays should be funded to train the workforce.
AI Research and Development Hubs
There is a need for AI Research and Development hubs which should focus on local challenges and proffer solutions.
In these innovation clusters dedicated to AI Research and Development, start ups, big tech firms and universities can collaborate.
These hubs can focus on improving language models for Nigerian dialects, building AI for financial inclusion among other solutions through these hubs.
Policy/Regulation
A national AI policy is needed which could include funding frameworks, ethics guidelines, tax incentives for AI startups, and a dedicated body to coordinate implementation across sectors.
If Nigeria fails to act, the consequences are predictable, which is outsourcing of jobs to AI-driven economies, widespread unemployment among degree holders, and a growing digital divide between the elite and the masses.
This is because the same way we no longer need typewriters, we may soon no longer need traditional accountants, customer service agents, clerical staff, or even some categories of journalists unless they evolve.
