Artificial Intelligence is already transforming how the world works, and its impact will become even more profound in the coming years.
What happens to jobs when AI can perform tasks currently undertaken by millions of employees?
Will banks still need so many branches? Will lawyers, architects, accountants and other professionals continue to operate as they do today? Will businesses need to restructure, retrain employees and invest in new technologies?
More importantly, are our universities and schools preparing young Nigerians for the jobs and professions of tomorrow, or are we still educating them for yesterday’s world?
Nigeria has already developed a National AI Strategy. That is encouraging. But we must move urgently from policy to practical national preparedness.
I believe the Federal Government should strengthen a high-level interministerial initiative involving Education, Science and Technology, Communications and Digital Economy, Labour, universities, professional bodies and technology companies.
Its responsibility should be to assess the impact of AI on our economy, employment, education and industries, and establish a comprehensive, actionable national blueprint.
We must prepare our workforce, review educational curricula, support businesses, invest in indigenous AI capabilities and protect our national competitiveness.
Otherwise, we risk becoming increasingly dependent on expensive technological solutions developed by nations that had the foresight to prepare.
AI is not just a technology issue. It is a national economic, educational and development imperative.
The greatest danger is not that AI will change the world. It is that the world will change, and Nigeria will not be ready.
