Nigeria, US Seal $2.1m Infrastructure Grant for Broadband Penetration

In a statement on Tuesday, the agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani; and the US Deputy Secretary, Mr Kurt Campbell, at the inaugural US-Nigeria Technology Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on January 10.

The project, funded by the US Trade and Development Agency, supports Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 with the goal of increasing the country’s broadband penetration rate from 42.27 per cent to 70 per cent and ensuring that at least 90 per cent of Nigeria’s population has access to affordable and reliable broadband coverage.

The US-Nigeria Technology Dialogue is designed to enhance bilateral cooperation in critical technology sectors and builds upon Mr Campbell’s earlier visit to Abuja for the sixth US-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) co-hosted with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar on April 29-30, 2024, the US Department of State and Government of Nigeria-funded Global Inclusivity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) event held in Lagos on September 9-11, 2024, and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) AI event hosted by the US Department of State on September 23, 2024, in which Minister Tijani participated.

Now, the latest dialogue discussed enhancing the resilience and security of essential services and facilities; promoting digital trade, e-commerce, and innovation-driven economic growth; developing a skilled workforce to meet the demands of the digital age; expanding artificial intelligence partnership related to capacity building, infrastructure, and rights-respecting approaches to governance; and promoting information integrity.

The statement added that following the formal Technology Dialogue, the delegations joined a roundtable discussion with industry representatives hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce which saw participants included representatives from over 25 US and Nigerian companies active in technology sectors, highlighted opportunities for public-private partnerships and investment solutions to spur innovation and promote digital talent development through the US-Nigeria commercial partnership.

A second-panel discussion on the role of critical infrastructure in advancing the use of AI examined the interplay between the infrastructure that is essential to the development of AI and the governance frameworks that can help spur the deployment of emerging technologies to support inclusive growth.

Both countries agreed to hold a virtual expert exchange on AI-enabled biotechnology that will explore how the convergence of AI and biotechnology can spur progress in addressing global health, food security, and science – with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.