Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana General Manager Abideen Yusuf says Nigeria was poised to move beyond its current “pockets of innovation” to building a thriving Artificial Intelligence (AI) economy.

He told reporters in Lagos yesterday that AI could contribute more than $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

Yusuf added that Nigeria also had a unique opportunity to become a global leader.

The Microsoft chief said the country could transition from being just a consumer of AI to a producer of the technology for the rest of the world, driving economic growth and innovation.

According to him, Lagos as a leading tech hub with rapid growth in venture capital and startups, demonstrates Nigeria’s existing capacity for AI innovation.

He said: “True economic growth will come from making this technology widely accessible across the country. “To build a robust AI economy, there is a twopronged approach centred on cultivating a strong AI ecosystem and developing an AI-ready workforce.’’