Former two-term member of the House of Representatives for Ikwuano/Umuahia (Abia State), Sam Onuigbo, has allayed the fears that millions of jobs will be lost following the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) global technology, as being predicted in various quarters.

Onuigbo said this during a chat with journalists in Umuahia, Abia State after he was honoured by the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) (Chartered), during its 2025 South East Zonal Management Summit and visit of its President, Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (Retd).

There were expressions and predictions during the Summit, themed “Navigating Nigeria’s Economic Environment to Achieve Sustainable Corporate and Household Economic Growth,” that AI will cause job losses, hence its operation will be done mostly by the use of technology (computers) rather than human beings.

Arguing that though the AI would involve the use of computers/technology and fewer human beings physically, Onuigbo stated that AI has the potential to inject over $15 trillion into the global economy, urging Nigerians to proactively do the needful with respect to the threats/challenges that seemingly would be posed by AI operations.
According to Onuigbo, who is presently a member of the North East Development Commission, with this injected fund, AI would increase activities that will accommodate thousands (human beings) in other areas.
Describing AI as worthy, Hon. Onuigbo said it is another new thing (technology) that has to be learnt by Nigerians to position them like others globally, citing the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration as one that, after its resentment by many Nigerians, the gains are impacting.

“This is because, with the fuel subsidy removal, states and local governments, among others, now get three times fund allocations more than what they got before the subsidy removal,” stating that the states and councils that used their allocations judiciously have positively impacted their economy and governance.

According to Onuigbo, who was Abia State Finance Commissioner, when compared, the allocations accruing to states and local governments since after the subsidy removal have tripled. Hence, he urged the governors and council chairmen to manage their allocations transparently to better their people and ensure they support President Bola Tinubu’s strives in driving the economy in the right direction.

Onuigbo, a Fellow of the NIM since 2012, appreciated NIM for honoring him with the “Distinguished Service Award,” which he described as “earned, not purchased,” advised NIM to consider recognizing future honorees early in their careers to enable them to make contributions to the country during their long careers, and urged qualified young persons to join NIM early.

The NIM National President, Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (Retd), alerted members on the threats of AI, especially job losses, citing that in some countries like the USA and the United Kingdom, where AI has reportedly been domesticated, many jobs are now performed by robots.
“Let us, therefore, retool by updating management skills to ensure we remain relevant in Nigeria and across the globe.”

In a presentation titled “How Corporate Bodies Can Leverage AI for Economic Growth,” a Professor of Management at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Vincent Aghaegbunam Onodugo, defined AI as a “computerised transformative technology that mimics and stimulates human intelligence to perform tasks, and refers to machines mimicking human intelligence to perform tasks.”

According to him, as Nigerian businesses embrace the transformative power of AI, the future holds immense promise, and AI-driven strategies will unlock new avenues for growth, efficiency, and innovation, positioning Nigerian companies for long-term success in the global marketplace.

The NIM Zonal two-day Summit had Dr. Jacinta Ogwo-Agu (Mrs), the immediate past Registrar, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, as Chairperson of the Local Organizing Committee. END