Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth secretary-general, and Chief Uche Nnaji, Nigerian minister of innovation, science, and technology, are pictured from left to right.

The Nigerian government has announced plans to enrol its citizens in the Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy.

This AI training will improve technical skills and industry preparedness, supporting innovation across all sectors of the Nigerian economy, according to the government.

The plan arose from a discussion with Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

During the meeting, Chief Uche Nnaji, Nigeria's minister of innovation, science, and technology, who announced the development on his X page (previously Twitter), emphasised the rising need for Nigerians to be trained and educated in AI.

His said: "The training will equip millions of Nigerians, particularly youth and women, with industry-ready AI skills."

The minister added that Nigerians would participate in the Commonwealth AI Academy, an AI training project run by the Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium.

The Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium is a group dedicated to using AI tools to help member governments and empower 1.5 billion young people under the age of 30.

“Nigeria's involvement in this initiative aims to lead the way in AI adoption, potentially transforming key sectors like governance, healthcare, and agriculture through capacity building,” he said.

“The AI Academy will offer specialized courses such as AI for the public sector and AI for youth, helping us build a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and addressing global challenges.”