A. Abiegbe

Artificial intelligence integration and Africa business growth: The Nigerian experience

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly recognized as a transformative force for economic growth and business innovation globally, with its impact in emerging economies such as Nigeria gaining particular attention. This study explores the potential of AI integration in Nigerian businesses, emphasizing its role in enhancing productivity, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable growth. Employing a qualitative research design, the study conducted a secondary data analysis of scholarly sources published between 2018 and 2024, sourced from databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, JSTOR, and Science Direct. Thematic analysis revealed that AI applications are reshaping diverse sectors, including finance, where chatbots and predictive analytics enhance customer service and risk management, and agriculture, where AI-driven tools support yield optimization through real-time weather and soil data insights. Findings indicate that Nigeria's youthful, tech-savvy population and vibrant economy provide fertile ground for AI adoption; however, significant barriers such as poor infrastructure, limited access to quality data, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and insufficient AI-related skills remain.