Kolawole Adebayo, a Nigerian Tech Analyst and Creative Director at BrainBox, has emphasised the importance of employee training and infrastructure development in ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) enhances productivity.
Speaking on News Central TV’s Breakfast Xtra on Saturday, Adebayo stressed that while AI tools are available, not everyone can use them effectively. He argued that corporate organisations should prioritise training their employees to utilise these tools efficiently, which would not only improve productivity but also reduce fears surrounding AI adoption.
“Not everyone can use AI tools effectively, right? At the end of the day, these are just tools, and some people are better at using them than others. In the corporate world, I believe organisations should focus on training their employees to utilise these tools efficiently, as this would enhance productivity and help alleviate the fears we have previously discussed,” he said.
He noted that the informal sector, especially in Africa, faces even greater challenges in AI adoption due to infrastructural limitations. Training AI models requires significant computational power and data centres, which are still scarce in Nigeria.
“When we look at the informal sector, however, I think we still have a long way to go, particularly in Africa. Training an AI model, for instance, requires substantial computing power and data centres,” he said.
Adebayo pointed out that the country struggles with energy supply and cooling infrastructure, both essential for sustaining AI development. He further highlighted that Nigeria’s national grid remains unreliable, making it difficult to maintain consistent AI operations.
“While Nigeria has a few data centres, the bigger question is: where is the energy to power them? Where are the necessary cooling systems? We live in a country where the national grid collapses as frequently as an “Eke Market day”, and that is the reality we face.” He added.
Despite these challenges, Adebayo acknowledged that Nigeria has made notable progress in AI development. He cited the national AI strategy, collaborations between government agencies and academia, and initiatives such as the “3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme”, alongside funding from organisations like Google. However, he warned that these efforts are not enough to close the existing infrastructure gap, which continues to hinder AI-driven development in the country.
“We are making some commendable efforts. Last year, I reviewed the national AI strategy, which promotes collaboration between government agencies and academic institutions.
“The “3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme” has been impressive, and there has been new funding from Google and other organisations. However, we still have a long way to go. The truth is, we are behind because we lack the necessary capacity to advance AI development at the required scale.
“The infrastructure needed to support the next phase of AI growth simply isn’t in place yet,” he said.
AI VS Humans, is the Global Workforce Under Threat?
Concerns over AI’s impact on the global workforce continue to grow, with fears that it could lead to widespread unemployment.
The “Future of Jobs Global Report 2025” reveals that 41% of companies plan to reduce their workforce due to AI expansion, causing anxiety among employees worldwide.
Nearly half of knowledge workers worry about job displacement, raising questions about which professions are most vulnerable and which AI alternatives are gaining traction.
An analysis by AIPRM of global search data sheds light on the evolving perceptions of AI in the workforce. Among key findings, programming is the only industry predicted to experience negative employment growth, with a decline of 10%.
Despite concerns about AI taking over jobs, the tech sector is expected to see growth, with data science projected to expand by 36% and cybersecurity by 33%.
Meanwhile, non-tech industries are experiencing growing concerns, as searches for “AI doctors” and “AI lawyers” indicate increasing interest in AI-driven alternatives to traditional professions.
