IMF’s AI Report: Where Is Nigeria’s Plan?

….Nigeria not ready for AI —Experts

By Nafisat Abdulrahman, Onuado Cynthia, Oyindamola Olawuyi

For tens of millions of younger Nigerians already struggling to search out jobs, the rise of synthetic intelligence (AI) presents a troubling new query: in an financial system the place alternatives are scarce, what occurs when machines start to tackle duties historically carried out by people?

The warning indicators are rising. As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cautions that tens of millions of jobs throughout sub-Saharan Africa may very well be affected by AI, nervousness is rising amongst younger Nigerians who concern that an already tough journey into the labour market might develop into much more difficult.

The stakes are excessive. Beyond the promise of sooner processes, better productiveness and technological innovation lies the chance that staff with out the correct abilities may very well be left behind.

Experts warn that Nigeria’s weak digital infrastructure, persistent abilities gaps and insufficient preparation might additional restrict its skill to harness the expertise whereas exposing its workforce to disruption.

For many younger Nigerians, the battle begins lengthy earlier than AI enters the dialog. Finding a primary job may be an uphill battle, with employers demanding years of expertise from contemporary graduates, vacancies attracting a whole bunch of candidates and certified candidates spending months trying to find alternatives. Now, as AI turns into more and more able to performing duties as soon as dealt with by human staff, a brand new concern is taking maintain: will there be sufficient jobs for the following technology of graduates?

The concern is backed by figures. A July 2026 report by the IMF, titled Unlocking the Potential: AI in Sub-Saharan Africa, estimates that 22 per cent of jobs throughout the area may very well be affected by AI. Of these, 13 per cent face important dangers of alternative, whereas practically 10 per cent may benefit from productiveness enhancements.

These projections, nonetheless, don’t counsel that every one affected jobs will disappear. Rather, they level to a profound shift on the planet of labor, as AI adjustments how duties are carried out, reshapes employers’ expectations and influences the quantity and forms of staff companies want. While some jobs might develop into extra environment friendly, others could also be remodeled or face declining demand.

For Nigeria, the implications are notably important. The nation is confronting this technological shift whereas grappling with longstanding unemployment challenges, insufficient digital infrastructure and considerations about whether or not its training system is equipping younger folks with the abilities wanted to thrive in a quickly altering financial system.

Interviews by LEADERSHIP with younger Nigerians, alongside insights from specialists in finance, synthetic intelligence and expertise, reveal a shared concern: AI might unlock new alternatives for productiveness, innovation and job creation, however these advantages are usually not assured. Without deliberate insurance policies, funding in digital infrastructure and a workforce improvement technique that prepares folks for rising calls for, Nigeria might battle to grab the alternatives the expertise affords.

The query, subsequently, is not whether or not AI will change Nigeria’s labour market, however whether or not the nation is getting ready its folks for that change. As the IMF’s projections deliver the potential penalties into sharper focus, one important query stays: the place is Nigeria’s plan?

The query, subsequently, is not merely whether or not AI will change Nigeria’s labour market. It is whether or not the federal government, employers and academic establishments are doing sufficient to make sure Nigerians can adapt earlier than the disruption turns into tougher to handle.

Young Graduates Weigh In

Nwokwu Sarah Chigozie, a corps member serving on the Defence Research and Development Bureau in Abuja, whereas talking with LEADERSHIP expressed perception that AI might threaten administrative positions and different jobs involving repetitive duties. However, she views the expertise as a chance for graduates prepared to study new abilities.

“I’m concerned, but I’m not threatened because I feel like AI is going to threaten some people’s jobs, but it’s also going to offer opportunities to recent graduates like us if we can move with the tempo,” she stated.

For Chigozie, the problem is making certain that younger folks have entry to the coaching wanted to adapt. She known as for accessible AI applications for corps members and different graduates, arguing that authorities efforts ought to transcend common consciousness and equip folks with sensible abilities.

She additionally cautioned companies towards relying excessively on automated methods on the expense of human interplay, warning that clients might develop into dissatisfied if corporations prioritised expertise over their wants.

Her considerations mirror a wider uncertainty amongst younger staff: studying to make use of AI could enhance their prospects, however these with out entry to coaching might discover themselves at an obstacle.

Damilare Atuwa, a chartered accountant, equally believes that AI will have an effect on some occupations greater than others however can’t eradicate the necessity for human involvement solely.

“Sometimes AI can get some things wrong, and even ask you to vet it, so who will vet it? It’s still people,” he stated.

Atuwa argued that AI training must be integrated into faculty curricula, whereas civil servants ought to obtain capacity-building coaching to assist them perceive and use the expertise successfully.

Beose Francisca Ekehinde, who not too long ago accomplished her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme on the House of Representatives and is at the moment in search of employment, questioned whether or not AI might adequately exchange roles that depend upon direct human interplay.

As an administrative assistant clerk, she stated, her duties concerned speaking with folks and attending to their wants, duties she believes can’t be totally replicated by automated methods.

Ekehinde urged the federal government to put money into public consciousness and coaching in order that younger Nigerians wouldn’t be deprived as workplaces undertake new applied sciences.

Another corps member, Emmanuel, acknowledged that AI was developed to make work simpler however stated its increasing capabilities might threaten employment alternatives.

Although he believes the expertise can’t carry out each job, he expects some employers to favour AI over contemporary graduates due to the potential price financial savings.

“Yes, they will, especially with the cost of things and the ability to cater and provide for the team, who wouldn’t want cheaper and faster,” he stated.

“Artificial intelligence might make Nigeria’s employment disaster tougher if we fail to arrange our younger folks for the altering world of labor.

“Nigeria must invest in digital skills, strengthen its education system and equip young people to take advantage of emerging opportunities rather than be left behind by technological change,” Hassan Omenogo, an AI skilled, stated.

Which Jobs Are Most Exposed To AI?

According to Omenogo, Banking, telecommunications, accounting, administration, recruitment and media are among the many sectors the place AI might change staffing necessities and the character of labor.

He famous additional that the expertise can help with buyer enquiries, doc processing, knowledge entry, report preparation, recruitment screening, transcription and fundamental content material manufacturing.

“Such applications can help businesses complete tasks faster and reduce operating costs. But the employment consequences will depend on how organizations use the technology,” he stated.

Administrative staff could discover that doc preparation and scheduling develop into more and more automated, whereas their skill to coordinate folks, resolve issues and handle complicated conditions stays worthwhile.

The media trade faces the same transition. AI can help journalists with transcription, analysis and knowledge organisation, in addition to the preparation of fundamental content material. However, investigative reporting, unbiased verification, editorial judgement, supply safety and accountability stay important duties.

The problem for staff is to know how their roles are altering and develop abilities that complement the expertise.

But the accountability can’t relaxation solely on people. Employers, instructional establishments and authorities businesses additionally want to find out how staff may be retrained, which new occupations could emerge and what assist is required for folks whose jobs are affected.

Experts: ‘Nigeria is not prepared for AI’

For Adefolarin Olamilekan, a monetary skilled and analyst, the employment implications of AI are a rising world concern that requires deliberate authorities insurance policies.

He argued that Nigeria couldn’t but be thought of ready for the adjustments forward, though international locations internationally had been nonetheless creating measures to handle the expertise’s influence.

“In the aspect of preparation, no country across the world can be seen as prepared for AI. In the case of Nigeria, we can’t also say we are prepared, but every country is just putting up measures that would help them mitigate the pressure that AI would bring in the job market,” Olamilekan stated.

He acknowledged that the Nigerian authorities had been endeavor training and advocacy round AI however stated extra wanted to be achieved to assist staff perceive how the expertise might have an effect on their jobs and the way they may use it to enhance productiveness.

According to him, public training ought to transfer past explaining what AI is to displaying folks methods to apply it of their workplaces.

“One of all the key measures is education. We need to educate people on what AI is. Initially, when we talk about AI, everybody thought it was going to be like a robot coming to take over your job. But right now, we are beginning to see it as a collaborative job partnership between users and tools of AI and a worker,” he stated.

Olamilekan additionally recognized the price of accessing AI instruments and the sources required to coach staff as points that wanted consideration.

He famous that African international locations had been progressing at totally different charges in technological improvement and AI adoption, citing South Africa and Egypt as examples of nations making progress within the sector.

While Nigeria was additionally adopting AI, notably within the media trade, he stated the nation wanted to strengthen its capability to profit from the expertise.

Adeoye Abodunrin, a futurist and life coach, provided a extra important evaluation of Nigeria’s readiness, arguing that the nation wanted to cease treating AI as a future improvement and confront its rising presence in on a regular basis life.

“The question should be, what are we doing about the AI that’s coming into the system already? ‘Usher it in’ sounds like AI is still at the door. AI is already in the room, sitting down, taking shape,” he stated.

Abodunrin argued that Nigeria’s problem prolonged past entry to expertise to the weaknesses of the establishments and methods required to make use of it successfully.

He pointed to gaps in technical capability and the continued reliance on handbook processes in lots of organisations, together with authorities establishments.

“Preparation would mean we have the ability to understand it very well and to deploy it effectively. So, there’s a capacity gap, much of which we understand,” he stated.

According to him, organisations which have but to transition totally from paper-based processes to digital methods will battle to combine superior applied sciences successfully.

He maintained that Nigeria wanted to put money into the abilities and institutional capability required to make the most of AI reasonably than assume that entry to the expertise alone would assure progress.

“Our question about where we are is where we are going to leapfrog capacity. Not from the technology. The technologies like to be leapfrogged. But only for capacity, so that we can take advantage because AI is here,” he stated.

Abodunrin warned that with out deliberate preparation, AI might deepen current financial disadvantages as an alternative of enhancing productiveness and residing requirements.

“Either AI will be another tool to colonise us, or we’re going to use it to emancipate our economy. The choices are ours,” he stated.

Although he acknowledged authorities efforts to stabilise the financial system, develop infrastructure and develop financial alternatives, he argued that these interventions had been inadequate to arrange Nigeria for an AI-driven financial system.

He known as for extra deliberate funding in dependable electrical energy, efficient insurance policies, political dedication and methods able to making certain that the advantages of technological improvement attain totally different elements of the nation.

For Abodunrin, AI isn’t merely a technological innovation however a broader financial and societal transformation requiring adjustments in public coverage, establishments and the way in which folks work.

‘AI could destroy some jobs while creating others’

While considerations about displacement are actual, Peter Ugochuwu Nnachor, chief government officer and founding father of GritinAI, stated the influence of AI must be understood throughout the broader historical past of technological change.

He defined that technological advances had disrupted established companies and occupations whereas creating new industries and alternatives.

Citing the decline of telephone-booth companies following the broader availability of cell phones, Nnachor stated the unfold of latest expertise usually adjustments how companies are delivered and the sorts of companies that may survive.

He additionally pointed to point-of-sale (POS) companies, arguing that they may finally face disruption as fee applied sciences evolve.

“The truth is that the time is coming still, whereby this particular business venture would no longer be in the markets,” he stated, referring to POS companies.

According to him, AI is following the same sample: some current jobs and enterprise fashions could disappear at the same time as new roles emerge.

“Obviously, AI is going to take over those jobs or those roles. While that is going on, another thing also happens concurrently. There are other roles and other positions that are opening up in the AI space,” he stated.

Nnachor cited immediate engineering for example of a job that has emerged alongside AI improvement. He added that AI was decreasing the time and sources required to develop and launch companies, permitting entrepreneurs to check concepts and assess their business potential extra rapidly.

However, he cautioned that the variety of new alternatives created may not essentially match the variety of jobs displaced.

That distinction is especially essential for Nigeria, the place the problem isn’t solely getting ready staff for brand spanking new occupations but in addition making certain that sufficient alternatives exist for many who could lose their jobs or battle to enter the labour market.

Nnachor stated Nigeria’s skill to profit from AI would rely partly on the event of the information infrastructure required to assist the expertise.

He defined that AI improvement relied on efficient knowledge administration, coordination, accountable sharing and customary requirements that will allow domestically developed methods to operate correctly.

Citing initiatives in Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, he careworn the necessity for stronger knowledge methods throughout the continent.

Speaking a couple of analysis paper developed by his organisation, titled *AI Made in Africa*, Nnachor stated Africa wanted frameworks that will enable it to make use of knowledge responsibly whereas creating AI options suited to native wants.

He warned that speeding into AI improvement with out addressing weaknesses in knowledge administration and infrastructure might restrict the effectiveness of domestically developed methods.

On workforce preparation, he stated authorities businesses weren’t the one establishments concerned in AI coaching, noting that personal organisations additionally offered coaching for public establishments and companies.

He stated GritinAI centered on connecting coaching to sensible functions, enabling contributors to know how AI may very well be developed and deployed to resolve real-world issues.

His argument factors to a important coverage query: Nigeria should not solely put together folks to make use of AI instruments developed elsewhere but in addition construct the technical capability and infrastructure wanted to create options that deal with native challenges.

Nigeria has an AI technique, however implementation stays essential

LEADERSHIP experiences that beforehand Nigeria developed a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy to information AI adoption, innovation and improvement whereas addressing points together with ethics, privateness and employment. The nation additionally established the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to advertise analysis and technological innovation.

These initiatives present a coverage basis, however their existence alone doesn’t set up how successfully staff are being ready for adjustments within the labour market.

The central difficulty is whether or not nationwide plans are translating into sensible alternatives for college kids, graduates, civil servants and staff whose duties could change as AI turns into extra broadly adopted.

Experts who spoke with LEADERSHIP argued that Nigeria wanted to develop public training and make AI coaching extra accessible, whereas others careworn that dependable electrical energy, digital infrastructure and institutional capability had been important to efficient adoption.

Their views counsel that preparation should lengthen past encouraging people to learn to use AI. It requires coordinated funding in training, infrastructure, establishments and the productive financial system.