Michael Freeman, Israel's Ambassador to Nigeria, pledged deeper collaboration with Nigeria in artificial intelligence during the closing ceremony of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Bootcamp 2026 in Abuja. The four-day event, organised by Innov8 Hub under the theme "From Ideas to Impact: Building AI-Enabled Ventures for the Future," brought together young innovators, startup founders, researchers and entrepreneurs for training in AI-driven business development. Freeman stated that Israel aims to become one of the world's leading AI nations and is committed to sharing its expertise with Nigeria. "We are going all in on AI. We are going to be one of the world leaders in AI within the next few years," he said.
He confirmed this was the first joint AI initiative with Nigeria but promised it would not be the last. The collaboration will expand beyond the existing IFAIR programme to include broader engagement with the Nigerian government and people. "This is an extension of the partnership that was already going, but it's the beginning of a serious partnership that we're going to look to do in the field of AI," Freeman said. He dismissed concerns that AI eliminates jobs, arguing instead that it creates employment and improves productivity. "AI not only doesn't take away jobs; it's going to help you create jobs," he said, adding that it allows businesses to grow and employ more Nigerians.
Freeman emphasized the importance of African and Nigerian representation in global AI development. "The more that you use AI and the more that you engage with AI, the more there will be an African voice in AI, the more there will be a Nigerian voice in AI," he said. He urged young Nigerians to build their futures in Nigeria, stating, "Your future's not in Canada or in America or in Britain or in Australia or any other place in the world. Your future is here." Dor Yaakov, a lead facilitator from Israeli non-profit Unistream, praised participants' creativity, noting their solutions addressed challenges in education, healthcare, agriculture and sustainability. Gregory Ibe Jr., Managing Director of Innov8 Hub, said the bootcamp aimed to use AI to boost productivity and create employment.
The ambassador claims Nigeria's future is here, yet offers no plan to stop the brain drain his government benefits from. Young Nigerians are told to stay and build, while Israeli institutions extract talent and ideas through short-term programmes. If this partnership is serious, it must include funding, infrastructure, and long-term access, not just speeches.
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