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September 10, 2025

AI, privacy tools fuel 75% local businesses growth on Zoho

By Upfrontdigital News 0 4 Views

 

By Favour Unukaso

ZOHO, a global technology firm, has said that local businesses’ growing appetite for Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, paired with robust privacy measures, has enabled 75 per cent customer surge on its platform.

  The growth reflected Nigeria’s expanding digital economy, where companies across sectors are integrating AI to streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and strengthen data protection.

   Zoho, in a new study titled: ‘The AI Privacy Equation: The Nigerian Model of Responsible AI Adoption, conducted by Arion Research, underscores the country’s leadership in balancing AI innovation with privacy safeguards.

   According to the study, 93 per cent of Nigerian businesses have already embarked on their AI journey, with 31 per cent achieving advanced integration across entire organisations and 26.5 per cent deploying AI in multiple departments.

   Notably, 84 per cent of respondents said they had strengthened privacy measures since adopting AI, with 66 per cent describing these improvements as significant.

   Country Head, Zoho Nigeria, Kehinde Ogundare, said: “We continue to invest in Nigeria as businesses here accelerate their adoption of technology to grow and scale. The latest study around Al and Privacy proves that Nigerian businesses are leading the way in responsible Al adoption, as they temper the new technology with privacy measures.

Country Manager, Kehinde Ogundare

   “This mirrors Zoho’s philosophy of building contextual and privacy-first AI models that can help businesses realise tangible benefits. We infuse our AI solutions – from conversational and prescriptive to agentic and generative – with business context so that it can provide organisations with decision intelligence.”

   The study highlighted a uniquely Nigerian approach: leadership-driven AI adoption, privacy-first implementation, skills-focused workforce development, and regulatory preparedness. More than half of survey respondents occupy executive roles, indicating that adoption is often driven from the top down.

   The financial sector is pioneering the integration of AI with privacy by design, representing 29 per cent of survey respondents. Key applications include customer service automation (49 per cent), software development and enhancement (46 per cent), and marketing optimisation (32 per cent). Beyond finance, industries such as IT hardware and services, energy, manufacturing, real estate, media, education, and retail are also driving adoption, contributing to Zoho’s rapid growth in the country.

   Despite the surge, businesses face challenges. Lack of technical expertise remains the top barrier, cited by 37 per cent of respondents, followed closely by privacy and security concerns at 35 per cent. In response, 69 per cent of organisations are prioritising data analysis and interpretation skills, 53 per cent are emphasising AI literacy, and 40 per cent are investing in generative AI prompt engineering skills.

  CEO and chief analyst at Arion Research LLC, Michael Fauscette, said: “The Nigerian model shows that AI success relies more on human capability than technology alone.

“Organisations here are embedding AI responsibly, strengthening privacy measures rather than compromising them, and turning governance into a competitive advantage.”

Nearly 65 per cent of businesses reported heightened regulatory awareness following the introduction of Nigeria’s Data Protection Act. Measures such as regular AI system audits (57 per cent), data minimisation practices (57 per cent), and explainable AI initiatives (52 per cent) demonstrate a proactive approach to compliance that also positions companies for global competitiveness.

The survey, conducted in June 2025, involved 386 professionals from medium and large organisations across various industries.

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