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Nigeria Launches National AI Scaling Hub to Expand High-Performance Computing Access
Nigeria’s federal government announced the creation of the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub (NAISH) and a national shared computing platform on 27 June 2026. The initiative, unveiled by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr Bosun Tijani, aims to remove the bottleneck of limited high‑performance computing resources that has constrained AI research and deployment across the country.
NAISH is positioned as a national platform that brings together researchers, startups, government agencies, academic institutions, development partners and the private sector. According to the ministry, the hub will accelerate the adoption and scaling of AI by providing a coordinated environment for collaboration, knowledge exchange and partnership building. The goal is to move proven AI solutions from pilot projects into large‑scale public and commercial deployments.
The shared computing infrastructure that underpins NAISH will be hosted by Galaxy Backbone, a Nigerian data‑center operator that manages tier‑three and tier‑four facilities in Abuja and Lagos. The platform is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a history of supporting AI initiatives in Africa. The ministry said the infrastructure will give researchers, startups, government institutions and other innovators access to the computing resources required to develop, test and deploy advanced AI applications.
The launch also coincided with the start of the Scaling AI for Development (SAID) Challenge. The challenge connects government institutions with Nigerian AI startups to create practical AI solutions for public‑sector challenges. The programme is designed to encourage the deployment of locally developed AI technologies to improve public service delivery and to strengthen Nigeria’s growing digital innovation ecosystem. Applications for the inaugural SAID Challenge are now open to Nigerian AI startups that have proven solutions capable of addressing public‑sector needs.
NAISH is being implemented with support from several partners, including the Gates Foundation, Lagos Business School at Pan‑Atlantic University and Galaxy Backbone. The ministry stated that the establishment of the hub reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to build an open, inclusive and globally competitive AI ecosystem that can drive innovation, economic growth and digital transformation across multiple sectors.
At present, the national shared compute platform is operational and available to the AI community. The SAID Challenge has begun accepting entries, and the ministry is monitoring the progress of pilot projects that will move into larger deployments. The initiative represents a concrete step toward expanding AI capacity in Nigeria, but the long‑term impact will depend on sustained investment, talent development and the ability of the ecosystem to scale solutions beyond the pilot stage.
NAISH is positioned as a national platform that brings together researchers, startups, government agencies, academic institutions, development partners and the private sector. According to the ministry, the hub will accelerate the adoption and scaling of AI by providing a coordinated environment for collaboration, knowledge exchange and partnership building. The goal is to move proven AI solutions from pilot projects into large‑scale public and commercial deployments.
The shared computing infrastructure that underpins NAISH will be hosted by Galaxy Backbone, a Nigerian data‑center operator that manages tier‑three and tier‑four facilities in Abuja and Lagos. The platform is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a history of supporting AI initiatives in Africa. The ministry said the infrastructure will give researchers, startups, government institutions and other innovators access to the computing resources required to develop, test and deploy advanced AI applications.
The launch also coincided with the start of the Scaling AI for Development (SAID) Challenge. The challenge connects government institutions with Nigerian AI startups to create practical AI solutions for public‑sector challenges. The programme is designed to encourage the deployment of locally developed AI technologies to improve public service delivery and to strengthen Nigeria’s growing digital innovation ecosystem. Applications for the inaugural SAID Challenge are now open to Nigerian AI startups that have proven solutions capable of addressing public‑sector needs.
NAISH is being implemented with support from several partners, including the Gates Foundation, Lagos Business School at Pan‑Atlantic University and Galaxy Backbone. The ministry stated that the establishment of the hub reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to build an open, inclusive and globally competitive AI ecosystem that can drive innovation, economic growth and digital transformation across multiple sectors.
At present, the national shared compute platform is operational and available to the AI community. The SAID Challenge has begun accepting entries, and the ministry is monitoring the progress of pilot projects that will move into larger deployments. The initiative represents a concrete step toward expanding AI capacity in Nigeria, but the long‑term impact will depend on sustained investment, talent development and the ability of the ecosystem to scale solutions beyond the pilot stage.
