Nigerians rank No.1 globally in AI usage new report shows

A new BCG survey ranked Nigeria first globally for weekly AI usage, far above the world average Most Nigerian respondents described themselves as proficient in AI, but job losses remained their top concern about the technology Satisfaction with Nigeria's government digital services dropped by 5 percentage points since 2024, the survey also found Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends. Nigeria has ranked first among 44 countries surveyed for weekly artificial intelligence use, with 91% of respondents saying they interact with AI tools at least once a week, according to a new Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report. The BCG Digital Government Citizen Survey, which covered citizens' experiences and expectations around digital government services, put Nigeria's weekly AI usage rate well ahead of the global average of 64%. Nigeria records the highest weekly AI usage globally, far exceeding the 64% worldwide average. Photo: BCG. Source: UGC About 80% of Nigerian respondents described themselves as proficient in using AI, compared with a global average of 63%, while 61% said the technology's benefits outweighed its risks. Olayinka Majekodunmi, managing director and partner at BCG Lagos, said the numbers placed Nigeria in a category of its own. He said: "Nigerians are among the most active users of AI, with an extraordinary 91% of respondents using AI weekly, the highest rate of any market surveyed." Nigeria's Digital Government Satisfaction Drops Despite the strong appetite for technology, satisfaction with government digital services slipped by five percentage points between 2024 and 2026, landing at 64%, BusinessDay reports. That figure remained marginally above the global average of 63%, but BCG said the decline reflected rising expectations rather than disengagement. Nigerians, the report suggested, are becoming more demanding about the quality of what government offers online. Support for AI in public services was nonetheless high, particularly for routine tasks, personalised interactions and services delivered through government institutions. Respondents also called for safeguards, with 39% preferring public performance reporting as a check on how AI is applied in decision-making. Independent audits and human review mechanisms were also widely supported. Employment anxiety loomed large in the findings. Some 46% of Nigerian respondents identified job losses as their primary worry about government adoption of AI, ahead of concerns about individual capability at 33% and the accuracy of AI-generated decisions at 32%. Nigerians are embracing AI faster than most markets surveyed Photo: adas Source: Twitter Majekodunmi acknowledged the tension between rapid adoption and public anxiety. She said: "Nigerians are embracing AI faster than almost any other market surveyed; they also want reassurance that technological progress will create opportunities, not just disruption." The report concluded that Nigeria holds a sizeable population already comfortable with AI tools, but that government institutions expanding their use of the technology will need to address accountability, employment impact and human oversight to maintain public trust. Free training in AI, cybersecurity, other skills Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government has launched the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a free skills programme targeting 32,000 Nigerians across the country's 36 states and the FCT. The programme is being run in partnership with global learning platform Coursera, and will offer successful applicants free learning licences at no personal cost. Participants can choose from more than 10 high-demand skill areas, including software development, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, IT automation, and artificial intelligence. Source: Legit.ng