We pick up our series on the fast-arriving future of AI and ask what it means for Nigeria and the wider continent - especially for countries not yet positioned to shape the technology.

This episode unpacks China’s new “AI Plus” strategy, which aims to turn AI into everyday infrastructure across the economy and the state. We explore what a very practical approach to AI could mean for African countries and map the risks.

China’s AI+ strategy announcement (in Mandarin) - LINK

Papers mentioned by Tobi:

Employment effects of AI

Africa’s manufacturing puzzle

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By “popular demand”, we decided to do a podcast on the book review that has proven to be quite popular on 1914 Reader. Thank you all for reading and subscribing

We discussed some things that couldn’t fit into the review and why books like this are important, regardless of the actual content. And then we finished off with a short meditation on fatherhood.

Hope you enjoy.

P.S. Here’s the article on Roman Abramovich I promised to link to - Our Oligarch

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It’s just Tobi and Feyi in the studio this week, diving into a conversation that started with a simple question: How could AI actually transform Nigeria - and Africa more broadly?

We kicked things off with education, wandered through infrastructure, and ended up talking about cement.

Hope you enjoy the episode!

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Three years on from The Time-Travelling Economist, we sit down with Charlie Robertson to ask: how has the shifting global landscape altered his outlook? From demographic booms to education surges, which countries are now on his radar? Why does he see 2042 as a pivotal year for Nigeria - and what explains his tempered view on Thailand’s trajectory?

All of that and a lot more in this fun episode!

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Tobi sat down with Michel Deelen, the Dutch Consul General to Nigeria, in Lagos for a discussion on the intersection between trade, business and diplomacy.

There was also time for cover music and food.

Hope you enjoy listening.

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We had a friend of the house on the podcast to talk through what might be considered the bull case for Nigeria after a traumatic couple of years for the economy. It is never an easy case to make for investing in Nigeria but Fola is very clear eyed and realistic about the opportunities and challenges facing Africa’s most populous economies.

We certainly enjoyed making this one and we hope you do so too.

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We had the privilege of sitting down with Professor A.G. Hopkins. If you have been with us here on 1914 Reader for a while, you will recall we did a read-along of his latest book, Capitalism in the Colonies here last year.

Professor Hopkins was kind enough to give us his time even when technology failed while recording multiple times. We apologise in advance for any audio issues you might have while listening.

We hope you enjoy this episode.

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We sat down with Iré Hassan-Odukale, one half of the founding duo of the 2 Michelin Star Ikoyi restaurant in London to discuss the current globalisation of Nigerian food from the point of view of someone who was one of the pioneers of that wave.

We also talked about plantain and a few other things. And we managed to get an exclusive out of him towards the end of the podcast.

We hope you enjoy the episode.

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This conversation was originally recorded in 2017 on my Aguntasolo Unaccented podcast.

I sat down with Dele Olojede to discuss his Pulitzer Prize, his long career in journalism in Nigeria and around the world, the murder of Dele Giwa in 1986, his experience with setting up and running Next Newspapers in Nigeria and his love of wine.

You will not find some of the things he said in this podcast anywhere else.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.1914reader.com/subscribe

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our live video session yesterday discussing the impact of a reordering of global trade dynamics on Nigeria and Africa.

The end segment where we discuss aid was not planned by either of us but it ended up being a useful discussion, I think.

If you missed it, here’s the recording of the session.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.1914reader.com/subscribe