Abuja, Nigeria (Running Africa) — Nigeria has launched the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub (NAISH), a national initiative designed to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) research, innovation, and large-scale deployment as the country positions itself as a leading AI hub in Africa.
Announcing the initiative, Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani said the platform will provide shared high-performance computing infrastructure hosted by Galaxy Backbone and supported by the Gates Foundation.
The AI hub aims to tackle one of the biggest obstacles facing AI development in Nigeria—limited access to computing power—by making critical infrastructure available to researchers, startups, universities, and government institutions.
Officials say the platform will also strengthen collaboration across Nigeria’s growing AI ecosystem, enabling innovators to scale promising projects from pilot programs to real-world implementation.
Alongside the launch, the federal government unveiled the Scaling AI for Development (SAID) Challenge, an initiative that will connect public sector institutions with Nigerian AI startups to develop technology-driven solutions for national challenges in areas such as governance, public services, and economic development.
The launch forms part of Nigeria’s broader digital transformation strategy, with the government seeking to position the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence, foster homegrown innovation, attract technology investment, and harness AI to drive sustainable economic growth and improve public service delivery.
