Nigeria, Brazil Explore AI Collaboration To Drive Growth

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has led talks between Nigeria and Brazil, concentrating on AI and GovTech.

The disclosure, shared in a statement obtained on Wednesday from his LinkedIn page, detailed Tijani’s meeting with Brazilian officials from the ApexBrasil Trade Promotion and Investment Attraction Agency and the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises.

Also present at the meeting were the President of ApexBrasil, Jorge Viana, and the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Gacete.

This meeting is part of Nigeria’s broader strategy in preparation for a technology exchange mission to Brazil, scheduled for April 2025.

Tijani emphasised the potential for both nations to leverage AI to drive sustainable development, especially within the context of the Global South.

The discussions further highlighted Brazil’s significant experience in utilising GovTech solutions to enhance government services—an area Nigeria is keen to explore as part of its ongoing digital transformation.

Tijani noted, “In addition to digital trade, we discussed the importance of bilateral cooperation between our countries. As leaders in the Global South, there is immense opportunity to harness artificial intelligence for development. Brazil’s expertise in GovTech will serve as a valuable resource as we look to improve our own public sector services through digital innovation.”

A key component of the discussions was also the recognition of IHS Towers, a Nigerian-founded telecommunications infrastructure company with a significant presence in Brazil.

Tijani underscored the importance of the long-standing trade relationship between Nigeria and Brazil, noting that bilateral trade reached $2.9bn in 2022, largely driven by the exchange of petroleum and other commodities.