Click to watchAn AI tool is software that learns from the information you provide and then produces useful outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that you can act on. In simple terms, you add data, the tool recognises patterns, and it returns something practical. Nigeria’s economy is powered by small and growing firms, so simple tools that save time and reduce errors can make a real difference in day-to-day work.
As Sundar Pichai says, “AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on, more profound than electricity or fire.” As competition intensifies, it makes sense to lean on the many AI tools now available. Here is a shortlist of top picks, arranged into seven categories that you can start using today.
Automation
Zapier AI
Zapier AI puts a smart assistant across your everyday apps. Tell it, in plain English, to “log new Facebook lead forms in a sheet and alert sales,” and it plans the steps, moves the data and does the work without coding. Because Zapier connects to 8,000+ apps, it plugs into tools many local SMEs already use (Sheets, Gmail, HubSpot, forms), so there’s no big system change.
This is great for lean teams who juggle spreadsheets and forms. Start on the free plan; upgrade when volume grows. Agents Pro is listed at $50/month for 1,500 activities; all plans run in the browser on Mac or Windows, and you can trigger or check runs from your phone.
Click to viewProduct Presentation
Gamma
Gamma is an AI workspace that turns rough ideas into clean, shareable decks, one-pagers and simple websites. You type a prompt, and it lays out slides, images and text so your message is clear without fiddling with formatting. It is fast for founders and sales teams, and you can export to PowerPoint or Google Slides when you want to fine-tune.
It imports from PDF or PowerPoint and exports to PDF, PPTX, PNG and Google Slides. You can share a link and see basic view analytics. There is a free plan with limited AI creations, plus paid tiers for heavier use. It runs in your browser on Mac or Windows and is easy to use across devices without installing anything.
Productivity
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is a general-purpose AI assistant that helps you draft emails, explain documents, create procedures and answer questions in plain English. The Business and Enterprise versions are built for companies, with admin controls and stronger data safeguards. OpenAI states that, by default, it does not use your business data to train its models for Enterprise/Business and API customers, which is why many Nigerian firms use it to prepare proposals, staff notices and internal guides.
There’s a free version for trying it out, while Business and Enterprise are paid. Official apps are available for iOS and Android, and you can use ChatGPT in any modern browser on Mac or Windows, so teams can work across devices and stay in sync.
Fireflies
Fireflies is a meeting assistant that joins Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams to record, transcribe and summarise your calls. It turns conversations into searchable notes with action items, so sales, support and operations teams miss fewer details and wrap up faster after meetings.
You get instant AI summaries and a Q&A tool (“AskFred”) to query your meeting history. There’s a free plan with storage limits, and paid tiers that add more minutes and features. Fireflies has mobile apps for iOS and Android and a web app that works on Mac and Windows, so you can capture or review notes on the go.
DeepSeek
DeepSeek is a fast, low-cost AI chat assistant you can use on the web or as a mobile app. It is designed to handle reasoning and long documents well, and there is also an API for developers who want to build it into their products.
There is free app access for basic use, and pay-as-you-go pricing for the API with occasional discounts. Official apps are available on iOS and Android, and the web client works on Mac and Windows, so your team can use it across devices. If your organisation has strict compliance needs, read the provider’s privacy and data-use notes before rollout.
Design & Branding
GravityWrite
GravityWrite is a content studio for marketers that helps you beat the blank page. It can generate long-form articles, ad copy and social captions, and create on-brand images from templates and prompts so small teams in Nigeria can publish faster and keep a consistent tone across channels.
You get 100+ templates, tone and language controls, and an image generator. Pricing starts from about $8 per month on annual billing, with a trial to get started. It runs in your browser on Mac or Windows and works from mobile browsers too, so it’s easy to use across devices.
Video Creation
Kling AI
Kling is a text-to-video generator that turns a short prompt into a polished clip for adverts, promos or social posts. OpenArt provides a simple web interface for it, so you type what you want to see and Kling handles motion, camera angles and scene details. This helps Nigerian creators and marketers test ideas without a full video crew.
It’s web-based, so it works in a modern browser on Mac or Windows and you can trigger renders from your phone. You can choose styles and aspect ratios, upload reference images for look and feel, and download the finished video for sharing. Access is typically credit-based (free trials or small starter bundles are often available); check your OpenArt account for current limits and pricing.
Guidde
Guidde turns a quick screen recording into a polished “how-to” video with automatic steps, subtitles and voice-over ideal for onboarding, SOPs and customer education. Instead of writing long instructions, you capture once, then share a link or export a document version.
There’s a free Chrome extension, automatic redaction of sensitive details, and export to PDF/PPT when you need a static guide. A free plan is available (with limits), with paid tiers for branding and advanced features. It runs in your browser on Mac or Windows, and shared links are easy to view on any device.
Customer Support
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a help desk that brings email, chat, phone and social messages into one place. Its built-in AI, Zia, can suggest replies, summarise tickets and handle simple questions around the clock, handy for SMEs that want structure and basic self-service without heavy software.
There’s a free plan for up to three agents, with paid tiers for more features. Agents can work on the move with iOS and Android apps, and the full product runs in your browser on Mac or Windows. As you scale, Zia can spot anomalies and speed up routine categorisation and workflows.
Book keeping
Bookeeping.ai (Paula AI Accountant)
Bookeeping.ai is an AI bookkeeping service built around Paula, a chat-style assistant that does the heavy lifting for you. It automates categorising transactions, matching and reconciling accounts, capturing receipts and producing simple reports, so you can keep near-real-time books without spreadsheet slog. The aim is a clean, running P&L and balance sheet for small businesses with minimal manual work.
Pricing starts from $29/month with a 30-day free trial. There are Android and iOS apps for scanning receipts and checking activity, and the full service runs in your browser on Mac or Windows. Always confirm the exact plan and local currency at checkout, as tiers and taxes can vary.
AI is already reshaping how businesses work in Nigeria. If you want to stay competitive, start with a clear goal and use AI with intent.
Automate routine work so your team has more time for growth, customers and better decisions. We hope this guide helps you compare features, prices and fit so you can choose with confidence.
If you want to move faster and reduce errors, consider partnering with an operational service provider for smooth integration, sound governance and staff training. Start small, measure the impact and scale what works. That is how AI turns into results.
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