The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has declared that Nigeria has emerged as West Africa’s digital powerhouse, saying the country’s growing influence in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity should become a central pillar of its foreign policy.
Tijani made the remarks on Tuesday at the Second Seminar on Anticipatory, Cyber and Digital Diplomacy organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
The seminar, themed “From Awareness to Activation: Operationalising AI, Cyber and Digital Statecraft for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,” brought together policymakers, diplomats and technology experts to examine the role of digital technologies in advancing Nigeria’s global interests.
According to the minister, diplomacy is no longer defined solely by a nation’s population, economy or military strength but increasingly by its digital capabilities.
“Digital has become a major part of our lives and the way nations interact. Diplomacy is shifting beyond the size of a country’s economy or defence capabilities to the strength of its digital ecosystem,” he said.
Tijani said Nigeria is strategically positioned to lead the region’s digital transformation, noting that it is the only country in West Africa with its own communications satellites and the highest number of subsea internet cables.
“We’re the only country in the West African region with its own communication satellites, and we also have the highest number of subsea cables,” he said.
He added that Nigeria has become the region’s data hub, making it increasingly important to global technology companies and neighbouring countries.
“The implication is that Nigeria is a powerful nation. We’ve always been, but in the digital space, we are even more influential,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Government is strengthening the country’s cybersecurity architecture through the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Council on Cybersecurity to foster intelligence sharing between government and the private sector on emerging cyber threats.
He said the government is also adopting a resilience-based approach to safeguarding critical digital infrastructure, including subsea cables, fibre-optic networks and communications satellites.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress in artificial intelligence, Tijani said the country recently emerged as Africa’s top-ranked nation for responsible AI in an assessment conducted by a University of Cambridge research group.
He attributed the recognition to deliberate government policies that promote AI innovation while protecting national interests.
The minister also revealed that Nigeria has developed the first government-backed large language model capable of understanding Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ibibio and accented English, describing it as a significant milestone in the country’s AI ecosystem.
Tijani stressed that anticipatory diplomacy requires stronger institutions, improved digital capabilities and closer collaboration among government agencies, academia, technology experts and international partners.
He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to building a digitally skilled diplomatic corps through specialised training and stronger institutional frameworks to enhance Nigeria’s leadership on regional and global issues.
Also speaking, the Chair of the African Union Cybersecurity Experts Group and lead facilitator of the seminar, Abdul Hakeem Ajijola, said the programme was designed to prepare Nigeria for emerging technologies and their implications for diplomacy.
“Anticipatory diplomacy is about looking ahead to what is coming. Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept; it is already here,” he said.
Ajijola explained that cyber diplomacy focuses on managing relationships among nations in cyberspace, while digital diplomacy involves leveraging digital platforms to advance Nigeria’s interests globally.
He noted that while the inaugural edition of the seminar in 2025 focused on creating awareness, this year’s event is aimed at translating knowledge into practical action.
