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

….Nigeria not ready for AI —Experts

By Nafisat Abdulrahman, Onuado Cynthia, Oyindamola Olawuyi

For hundreds of thousands of younger Nigerians already struggling to seek 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 hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout sub-Saharan Africa may very well be affected by AI, nervousness is rising amongst younger Nigerians who concern that an already troublesome journey into the labour market may develop into much more difficult.

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

Experts warn that Nigeria’s weak digital infrastructure, persistent abilities gaps and insufficient preparation may additional restrict its potential to harness the know-how whereas exposing its workforce to disruption.

For many younger Nigerians, the battle begins lengthy earlier than AI enters the dialog. Finding a primary job could be an uphill battle, with employers demanding years of expertise from contemporary graduates, vacancies attracting tons of of candidates and certified candidates spending months looking for 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 subsequent era 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, nevertheless, don’t counsel that every one affected jobs will disappear. Rather, they level to a profound shift on this planet of labor, as AI adjustments how duties are carried out, reshapes employers’ expectations and influences the quantity and varieties of staff companies want. While some jobs may develop into extra environment friendly, others could also be reworked 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 issues about whether or not its schooling system is equipping younger individuals 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 know-how, reveal a shared concern: AI may unlock new alternatives for productiveness, innovation and job creation, however these advantages should not assured. Without deliberate insurance policies, funding in digital infrastructure and a workforce improvement technique that prepares individuals for rising calls for, Nigeria may battle to grab the alternatives the know-how presents.

The query, subsequently, is not whether or not AI will change Nigeria’s labour market, however whether or not the nation is making ready its individuals for that change. As the IMF’s projections carry 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 harder 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 may threaten administrative positions and different jobs involving repetitive duties. However, she views the know-how as a possibility for graduates keen 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 mentioned.

For Chigozie, the problem is making certain that younger individuals 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 individuals with sensible abilities.

She additionally cautioned companies towards relying excessively on automated programs on the expense of human interplay, warning that prospects may develop into dissatisfied if firms prioritised know-how over their wants.

Her issues replicate a wider uncertainty amongst younger staff: studying to make use of AI could enhance their prospects, however these with out entry to coaching may 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 get rid of 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 mentioned.

Atuwa argued that AI schooling needs to be included into faculty curricula, whereas civil servants ought to obtain capacity-building coaching to assist them perceive and use the know-how successfully.

Beose Francisca Ekehinde, who not too long ago accomplished her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme on the House of Representatives and is presently searching for employment, questioned whether or not AI may adequately change roles that rely on direct human interplay.

As an administrative assistant clerk, she mentioned, her obligations concerned speaking with individuals and attending to their wants, duties she believes can’t be absolutely replicated by automated programs.

Ekehinde urged the federal government to spend money on 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 mentioned its increasing capabilities may threaten employment alternatives.

Although he believes the know-how can’t carry out each job, he expects some employers to favour AI over contemporary graduates due to the potential value 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 mentioned.

“Artificial intelligence may make Nigeria’s employment disaster more difficult if we fail to organize our younger individuals 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 knowledgeable, mentioned.

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 may change staffing necessities and the character of labor.

He famous additional that the know-how can help with buyer enquiries, doc processing, information 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 mentioned.

Administrative staff could discover that doc preparation and scheduling develop into more and more automated, whereas their potential to coordinate individuals, resolve issues and handle advanced conditions stays invaluable.

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

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

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

Experts: ‘Nigeria is not prepared for AI’

For Adefolarin Olamilekan, a monetary knowledgeable and analyst, the employment implications of AI are a rising international 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 the world over have been nonetheless growing measures to handle the know-how’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 mentioned.

He acknowledged that the Nigerian authorities had been enterprise schooling and advocacy round AI however mentioned extra wanted to be executed to assist staff perceive how the know-how may have an effect on their jobs and the way they might use it to enhance productiveness.

According to him, public schooling ought to transfer past explaining what AI is to displaying individuals how you can 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 mentioned.

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 have been progressing at completely 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 business, he mentioned the nation wanted to strengthen its capability to learn from the know-how.

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 mentioned.

Abodunrin argued that Nigeria’s problem prolonged past entry to know-how to the weaknesses of the establishments and programs required to make use of it successfully.

He pointed to gaps in technical capability and the continued reliance on guide 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 mentioned.

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

He maintained that Nigeria wanted to spend money on the abilities and institutional capability required to reap the benefits of AI relatively than assume that entry to the know-how 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 mentioned.

Abodunrin warned that with out deliberate preparation, AI may deepen present financial disadvantages as a substitute of enhancing productiveness and dwelling 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 mentioned.

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

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

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

‘AI could destroy some jobs while creating others’

While issues about displacement are actual, Peter Ugochuwu Nnachor, chief government officer and founding father of GritinAI, mentioned the influence of AI needs to 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 cellphones, Nnachor mentioned the unfold of recent know-how typically adjustments how providers are delivered and the sorts of companies that may survive.

He additionally pointed to point-of-sale (POS) companies, arguing that they might ultimately face disruption as cost 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 mentioned, referring to POS companies.

According to him, AI is following an analogous sample: some present jobs and enterprise fashions could disappear whilst 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 mentioned.

Nnachor cited immediate engineering for instance 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 won’t essentially match the variety of jobs displaced.

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

Nnachor mentioned Nigeria’s potential to learn from AI would rely partly on the event of the information infrastructure required to help the know-how.

He defined that AI improvement relied on efficient information administration, coordination, accountable sharing and customary requirements that will allow regionally developed programs to operate correctly.

Citing initiatives in Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, he harassed the necessity for stronger information programs throughout the continent.

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

He warned that speeding into AI improvement with out addressing weaknesses in information administration and infrastructure may restrict the effectiveness of regionally developed programs.

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

He mentioned GritinAI targeted on connecting coaching to sensible functions, enabling members to grasp 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 individuals to make use of AI instruments developed elsewhere but additionally construct the technical capability and infrastructure wanted to create options that handle native challenges.

Nigeria has an AI technique, however implementation stays essential

LEADERSHIP reviews 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 obligations could change as AI turns into extra broadly adopted.

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

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