The announcement was made by Minister Bosun Tijani, who hosted Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, alongside Paulin Basinga, Uche Ofodile, and members of the Gates Foundation team, at his office in Abuja.
Describing the recent meeting as a “rich conversation” anchored on connectivity and artificial intelligence, Tijani emphasized the significance of the newly signed agreement in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to digital transformation.
His words “ Today, mid-way into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, I had the honour of welcoming Mr. Gates, Paulin Basinga, Uche Ofodile, and the incredible Gates Foundation team to my office.
“Our conversation was rich — anchored on two pillars critical to Nigeria’s future: connectivity and artificial intelligence.
“We concluded the visit with something truly historic — the signing of an agreement to establish AI Scale Up Nigeria, backed by $7.5 million USD in funding and expertise from the Foundation.
“This initiative will help accelerate the application of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and education — areas where impact matters most to everyday Nigerians”.
The Minister expressed deep gratitude for the trust and partnership extended by the Gates Foundation, noting that the collaboration reaffirms Nigeria’s readiness not just to adopt new technologies, but to shape them in ways that are meaningful and inclusive.
