NAAIP Assures Nigerians AI Will Create Jobs, Calls for Local Data Development

The National Association of Artificial Intelligence Practitioners (NAAIP) has reassured Nigerians that the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) will generate employment opportunities rather than cause job losses.

The assurance came during the 2026 AI Awareness Day held on Wednesday in Abuja. Founded by former Acting Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof Peter Okebukola, the association emphasized that Nigeria must move beyond being a consumer of foreign AI tools to becoming a producer of indigenous data and AI solutions.

Speaking to journalists, NAAIP President, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, dismissed fears that AI would lead to widespread unemployment. “AI is not making people jobless. Just as computers replaced typewriters without eliminating jobs, AI is creating new opportunities,” he said.

Prof Ogunbodede highlighted that entrepreneurs and social media users are already leveraging AI to generate significant income from the comfort of their homes. “Those who adopt AI and stay updated will retain and even expand their roles in the workforce”, he added.

However, he raised concerns over Nigeria’s reliance on foreign data to power AI systems. “Most AI tools, including popular chatbots like ChatGPT, operate on data harvested from outside Nigeria. This means the insights they provide may not fully reflect our local realities. NAAIP is urging Nigerians to develop our own data and solutions so that AI can be tailored to our needs,” he explained.

Ogunbodede also noted a knowledge gap between students and lecturers in Nigerian universities. “Almost all students are using AI, but not all lecturers are conversant with it,” he said, stressing the need for capacity-building among educators.

Also speaking at the event, Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof Uduma Orji Uduma, represented by Prof Monioluwa Olaniyi, highlighted the widespread adoption of AI in Nigeria. “Data from Google shows that 93 per cent of Nigerians with smartphones are active AI users, with 80 per cent deploying it to solve complex problems. Nigeria is now one of the largest markets for AI globally”, he noted.

On his part, NAAIP Vice-President (North-West), Prof Nasiru Maiturare, called on stakeholders to take ownership of the country’s AI development and support local innovation.