Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal Government has announced the launch of a national shared compute infrastructure aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and adoption across Nigeria.
The initiative, unveiled through the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub (NAISH), will be hosted by Galaxy Backbone and supported by the Gates Foundation. According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the project seeks to address one of the most significant barriers to AI development globally—access to computing resources.
Speaking on the initiative, Tijani said the shared infrastructure will provide researchers, startups, government agencies, and public institutions with access to the computing power required to develop and deploy AI solutions at scale.
He noted that by establishing a national platform for shared compute resources, Nigeria can lower the cost of innovation and enable local talent to build globally competitive AI applications within the country.
The Nigeria AI Scaling Hub has been established as a collaborative platform designed to connect innovators, researchers, startups, academic institutions, government agencies, and development partners. The hub aims to accelerate the adoption and scaling of AI technologies by providing infrastructure, strategic partnerships, and technical support needed to move successful AI projects from pilot stages to large-scale implementation.
In addition to expanding access to computing resources, NAISH is expected to strengthen collaboration across Nigeria’s AI ecosystem and support the development of solutions that address national priorities in areas such as governance, public service delivery, education, healthcare, and economic development.
The launch of the hub also marks the commencement of the Scaling AI for Development (SAID) Challenge, an initiative designed to connect Nigerian AI startups with government institutions to develop practical solutions to public-sector challenges.
Organisers said the programme will provide opportunities for startups with proven AI technologies to deploy their innovations in government settings and contribute to improving service delivery across the country.
Tijani expressed appreciation to the Gates Foundation, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Galaxy Backbone, and other partners involved in the initiative, describing the collaboration as a significant step toward building an inclusive and impactful AI ecosystem in Nigeria.
Applications for the Scaling AI for Development (SAID) Challenge are now open to Nigerian startups developing AI-driven solutions capable of addressing public-sector needs.
The launch aligns with Nigeria’s broader digital economy agenda and reflects increasing efforts to position the country as a leading hub for artificial intelligence innovation in Africa.
