Nigeria Clears Commonwealth Youth AI Readiness Benchmark with 54.5 Score

Nigeria has achieved a score of 54.5 out of 100 in the Ayre Index, a benchmark assessing young people's readiness to benefit from artificial intelligence. This score places Nigeria 15th out of 56 Commonwealth countries, just above the study's readiness benchmark of 53. The Ayre Index, published as the inaugural White Paper of the Ayre Think Tank, is the first comparative assessment of conditions affecting young people's readiness to benefit from AI across all 56 Commonwealth members.

The Ayre Index draws on 1,128 research sources and covers roughly 732 million people aged 15 to 29. Nigeria is one of only three African Commonwealth countries to meet the benchmark, alongside Mauritius and South Africa. Singapore tops the table with a score of 77.6, followed by Malta and Australia. Malawi ranks last with a score of 26.3. The index assesses readiness across eight pillars, including education, work-based learning, and digital capability.

Nigerian young people show high motivation and confidence in using AI, with 90% expecting to use AI for education or work within the following year. Some 67.8% of respondents felt confident controlling their interactions with AI, scoring 8.7 out of 10 for motivation and confidence. Work-based learning is also a strong point, with 84 in every 1,000 young Nigerians recorded in apprenticeships, internships, or traineeships.

However, Nigeria's measured capability in digital, data, media, and AI is low, scoring 0.8 out of 10. This score relies mainly on a household survey of conventional computer skills rather than current AI usage. The study notes that Nigeria has widespread informal employment and relatively few 25- to 29-year-olds in high-skill occupations.

A study estimates that AI could raise Nigeria's GDP by US$5.234 billion after ten years under a moderate scenario. The conservative estimate is US$2.617 billion, rising to US$7.851 billion in the optimistic case. These estimates concern whole economies and do not calculate how much young people would receive.

The Nigerian government has launched several initiatives to improve AI readiness, including the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, which trains Nigerians in digital skills, including AI and machine learning. A new partnership network was launched in March 2026, and the government and Meta launched AI Academy Nigeria in August to provide practical AI training.

The study's authors emphasize the importance of ensuring that young people have agency and an equitable stake in how AI systems are governed. They call on governments, educators, and development partners to prioritize affordable access to technology, education, and stronger routes from training into employment and enterprise.

Key points

• Nigeria scores 54.5 out of 100 in the Ayre Index, a benchmark assessing young people's readiness to benefit from artificial intelligence.
• AI could raise Nigeria's GDP by US$5.234 billion after ten years under a moderate scenario.
• Nigeria is one of only three African Commonwealth countries to meet the benchmark, alongside Mauritius and South Africa.