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In a bid to enhance the Nigeria Payments System and promote its use both domestically and globally, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, emphasized the importance of collaboration between NITDA, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and financial institutions. In an interview at the CBN’s Payments System Management Departmental Retreat program, Inuwa highlighted the need for collaboration to leverage emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to deepen digital payments. He also mentioned that financial technology (fintech) has demonstrated its ability to drive Nigeria’s performance in various sectors, including the industry and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sectors. Inuwa stressed the importance of taking deliberate measures to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating potential threats. He mentioned that NITDA will work collaboratively with CBN and other stakeholders to regulate the AI space. Inuwa further explained that the Nigerian government has been working on an Artificial Intelligence Policy, which will serve as a foundation for outlining rules and guidelines for adopting and deploying AI. He acknowledged that while AI has its risks and biases, the regulatory approach aims to foster innovation. In addition, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, recently unveiled the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, which aims to provide over one million applicants with the opportunity to pursue an introductory AI course.