Back to About Us > Nigeria, U.S. Agree to Harness Artificial Intelligence, Facilitate Data Flows and Empower Digital Upskilling; Issue Joint Statement
Nigeria, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy has reached an agreement with the United States of America to cooperate towards harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI), facilitating data flows, and empowering digital upskilling. This follows the visit of Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service’s visit to Nigeria, where he met with the Honourable Minister, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani on behalf of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
In a joint statement released on July 25, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy noted that investing in the digital capacity of the workforce is critical to realizing the potential of digitalization and AI. A shared core objective of both the United States Digital Transformation with Africa initiative and Nigeria’s Strategic Plan for the Digital Economy Sector (2023) is for human capital development to facilitate inclusive access to important digital skills.
Read full text of the joint statement released by the United States Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy below:
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo and Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Olatunbosun Tijani affirm their shared priorities for strengthening the digital economy, promoting innovation, and increasing digital trade and investment between Nigeria and the United States. Secretary Raimondo and Minister Tijani note the potential benefits of the digital economy, including economic growth, job creation, and the fostering of an inclusive, equitable, ethical, and sustainable digital future for our citizens and the global community.
Secretary Raimondo and Minister Tijani acknowledge the transformative possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) to shape economies and societies—across many sectors and in people’s daily lives—and the importance of harnessing the power of AI for good while mitigating its risks. Secretary Raimondo and Minister Tijani affirm the imperative to implement the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution on “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development” (A/78/L.49) and note the important role that trusted and secure information and communications technology (ICT), data privacy, data protection, and cross-border data transfers play in developing critical and emerging technologies like AI. They also reaffirm their intention to cooperate on establishing interoperable privacy frameworks and facilitating trusted cross-border data flows consistent with domestic law, privacy and civil liberties.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy note that investing in the digital capacity of the workforce is critical to realizing the potential of digitalization and AI. A shared core objective of both the United States Digital Transformation with Africa initiative and Nigeria’s Strategic Plan for the Digital Economy Sector (2023) is for human capital development to facilitate inclusive access to important digital skills. The goal for this objective is to empower a skilled workforce to effectively learn and apply emerging technologies and become active and safe participants in the digital economy.
Secretary Raimondo and Minister Tijani intend to foster cooperation between our governments and industry in the following areas:
Data Protection and Cross-Border Data Transfers
“The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy note that investing in the digital capacity of the workforce is critical to realizing the potential of digitalization and AI. A shared core objective of both the United States Digital Transformation with Africa initiative and Nigeria’s Strategic Plan for the Digital Economy Sector (2023) is for human capital development to facilitate inclusive access to important digital skills.”
Artificial Intelligence
Digital Upskilling
Based on this shared understanding, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy intend to promote the adoption and implementation of policies and rules in our bilateral and multilateral economic relationships that support interoperability between our two privacy regimes and that identify areas of cooperation in our respective approaches to AI and digital upskilling.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy issue this joint statement without prejudice to their rights and obligations arising from the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO). This joint statement does not create binding obligations under domestic or international law.
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