Microsoft, in partnership with the Federal Government, Data Science Nigeria (DSN), and Lagos Business School (LBS), has trained over 350,000 Nigerians in artificial intelligence skills under its AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI).
The milestone highlights growing collaboration to deepen digital inclusion and strengthen Nigeria’s AI talent pipeline. Microsoft said the effort builds on its wider engagement with Nigeria, which has seen more than four million people receive digital skills training since 2021 across areas such as productivity, cloud computing, and emerging technologies.
Speaking at a media session in Lagos, Abideen Yusuf, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana General Manager, said Nigeria must act fast to stay competitive. “AI is reshaping every sector. Countries that move quickly on skills will lead,” he said.
Prof. Olayinka David-West, Lagos Business School Dean, described AI skills as critical to Nigeria’s future competitiveness, stressing their role in inclusive growth and national transformation.
Microsoft recently announced a $1 million (about ₦1.6 billion) investment to expand AI training in Nigeria over three years. The second phase of AINSI aims to reach one million Nigerians, embedding AI skills across multiple sectors of the economy.
So far, the initiative has trained 99 public sector leaders, including lawmakers and senior officials from 58 government agencies, while more than 1,600 developers have gained advanced skills in data science, machine learning, and DevOps. In addition, Microsoft’s AI Skills Week engaged over 235,000 participants nationwide.
Microsoft said it will continue working with its partners to expand AI and cybersecurity training, strengthen developer capacity, and prepare Nigeria’s workforce for an AI-driven economy.
