Get Guardian on GoogleThe Founder of The Data Immersed (TDI), Nnamani Daberechi Anne, has urged Nigeria and other African countries to invest in digital skills development to take advantage of opportunities in the emerging $1 trillion Artificial Intelligence (AI) economy.
She said Africa’s ability to compete in the evolving global digital economy would depend largely on its capacity to develop skilled professionals who can build, manage and apply emerging technologies.
Nnamani made the call in an interview with journalists after the second edition of the TDI Tech Summit in Lagos, which brought together technology professionals, startups, entrepreneurs, young innovators and other stakeholders.
The summit examined Africa’s readiness for the next phase of the global digital economy, with discussions focusing on data, artificial intelligence, professional development and technology education.
Nnamani said conversations around technology had moved beyond understanding the digital revolution to identifying practical ways African countries could create economic value from emerging innovations.
She noted that artificial intelligence and data were increasingly shaping economic activities across the world, making digital skills essential for countries seeking to remain competitive.
According to her, Nigeria and other African countries must prepare their young populations to participate actively in the development and application of these technologies.
“TDI Tech Summit 2.0 took the conversation further by bringing together technology professionals, startups, entrepreneurs, young people and other stakeholders to discuss Africa’s place in the next phase of the global digital economy,” she said.
She explained that TDI had continued to address the shortage of practical technology skills through training, mentorship, hands-on projects and industry engagement.
The initiative focuses on equipping young Africans with relevant knowledge in data analytics, artificial intelligence and other emerging technology fields.
Nnamani, a microbiologist who transitioned into the technology industry, founded TDI to create learning opportunities for aspiring technology professionals and help them develop careers in the sector.
She said the organisation’s approach places practical learning and access to employment opportunities at the centre of its programmes.
The TDI founder observed that although demand for digital skills continued to grow across Africa, many young people still struggled to translate their interest in technology into employable expertise.
“This work is particularly significant in a continent where there is growing demand for digital skills, but where many young people still struggle to move from interest to employability,” she said.
She added that the summit also provided opportunities for startups to showcase their innovations, connect with industry stakeholders and explore potential business partnerships.
Young participants equally gained exposure to career opportunities and emerging business prospects within the technology industry.
Nnamani said such engagements were necessary to strengthen connections between young innovators, established professionals and businesses while creating pathways for more people to enter the sector.
She stressed that Africa’s participation in the global AI economy would require more than access to technology, as the continent also needed people with the capacity to develop solutions and apply them to local challenges.
“As the global economy becomes increasingly shaped by data and artificial intelligence, Africa’s ability to compete will depend heavily on the people capable of building and applying these technologies,” she said.
She maintained that sustained investment in technology education, professional development and practical digital training would help Nigeria and other African countries position themselves to benefit from the opportunities emerging from the global AI economy.
