Imagine running your business with tools that automate the tedious tasks, predict customer behaviour, and lower your operating costs-sounds futuristic, right? But AI is making it possible for SMEs everywhere..

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for tech giants. Today, AI tools are accessible, affordable, and increasingly essential for improving efficiency, reducing costs, and boosting productivity across all sectors.

For Nigerian SMEs, which make up over 96% of businesses, AI offers a powerful opportunity to overcome structural barriers such as high operational costs, limited digital capacity, and inconsistent infrastructure.

Below is a sector-by-sector breakdown of advanced AI tools, their core capabilities, and pricing models so SMEs can make informed adoption decisions.

1. Cross-Industry AI Tools (Useful for All SMEs)

These tools apply to every Nigerian SME, regardless of sector.

🔹 General Productivity & Automation

1. ChatGPT / GPT-4 / Claude AI / Gemini

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Content creation (emails, proposals, reports, marketing copy)

• Coding assistance

• Data analysis & summarisation

• Research support

• Business planning & process automation

💰 Pricing: Freemium (Free tier available; paid tiers for advanced models)

2. Notion AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Workflow automation

• Meeting note generation

• Knowledge base organisation

• Task/project management

💰 Pricing: Paid add-on (AI features require subscription)

3. Zapier AI / Make.com AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• No-code automation of business processes

• Connecting apps & automating repetitive workflows

• AI-generated automation suggestions

💰 Pricing: Freemium (Free limited automation; paid advanced usage)

4. Microsoft Copilot / Google Workspace AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Document editing

• Email summarisation

• Excel/Sheets data analysis

• Presentation creation

• Enterprise-grade productivity assistance

💰 Pricing: Paid (Premium tiers only)

🔹 Data & Analytics

5. Tableau AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Data visualisation

• Predictive analytics

• Smart dashboards

• Automated data storytelling

💰 Pricing: Paid (enterprise software)

6. Power BI AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Insights detection

• Automated analytics

• AI-driven forecasting

• Natural-language queries

💰 Pricing: Freemium (Basic free; advanced paid)

7. Looker AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Extracting insights from business data

• Real-time analytics

• Predictive modelling

💰 Pricing: Paid (enterprise-level)

🔹 Customer Service

8. Zendesk AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• AI-powered ticket routing

• Automated customer responses

• Sentiment analysis

💰 Pricing: Paid (AI add-ons)

9. Freshdesk AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Chatbots

• Automated support workflows

• Multichannel support

💰 Pricing: Freemium (Paid AI features)

10. Intercom Fin AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Conversational support

• Intelligent chatbots

• Automated customer messaging

💰 Pricing: Paid

🔹 Cybersecurity

11. CrowdStrike AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Endpoint protection

• Threat detection

• Automated response

💰 Pricing: Paid (enterprise)

12. Darktrace AI

✔ Core Capabilities:

• Real-time cyber threat analysis

• Autonomous defense

• Network security

💰 Pricing: Paid

13. SentinelOne

✔ Core Capabilities:

• AI-driven malware protection

• Autonomous remediation

💰 Pricing: Paid

2. Retail, E-Commerce & FMCG

14. Shopify Magic AI

✔ Content generation (product descriptions)
✔ Email marketing automation
✔ Store optimisation suggestions
💰 Pricing: Freemium (included with Shopify plans)

15. Klaviyo AI

✔ Intelligent segmentation
✔ Automated email & SMS campaigns
✔ Personalised recommendations
💰 Pricing: Freemium (paid for larger lists)

16. Algolia AI

✔ Smart product search
✔ Personalised recommendations
✔ E-commerce relevance optimisation
💰 Pricing: Freemium

17. ParcelLab AI

✔ Post-purchase customer communication
✔ Delivery tracking automation
✔ Customer experience optimisation
💰 Pricing: Paid

18. Zoho Inventory AI

✔ Stock forecasting
✔ Demand prediction
✔ Automated re-ordering
💰 Pricing: Paid (affordable for SMEs)

3. Agriculture & Agribusiness

19. Tule.ai

✔ Irrigation optimisation
✔ Water usage analytics
✔ Crop monitoring
💰 Pricing: Paid

20. Agrivi AI

✔ Farm management system
✔ Pest/disease prediction
✔ Crop analytics
💰 Pricing: Paid

21. FarmLogs AI

✔ Weather insights
✔ Fertility analysis
✔ Yield forecasts
💰 Pricing: Freemium

22. IBM Watson Agriculture

✔ Risk prediction
✔ Crop insights
✔ Farm performance modelling
💰 Pricing: Paid (enterprise-level)

4. Healthcare & Telemedicine SMEs

23. Google Med-PaLM

✔ Medical Q&A
✔ Clinical decision support
✔ Diagnostic assistance
💰 Pricing: Paid (enterprise)

24. Microsoft Nuance DAX Copilot

✔ Automated medical documentation
✔ Voice transcription
✔ Clinical efficiency tools
💰 Pricing: Paid

25. Ada Health AI

✔ Symptom checker
✔ Patient triage
✔ Pre-diagnosis assessments
💰 Pricing: Freemium

26. Zebra Medical Vision AI

✔ Medical imaging analysis
✔ Radiology insights
💰 Pricing: Paid

27. Babylon AI

✔ Remote consultation
✔ AI-assisted diagnosis
✔ Patient monitoring
💰 Pricing: Freemium/Paid hybrid

5. Finance, Fintech & Accounting

28. Kount AI

✔ Fraud detection
✔ Identity and transaction risk scoring
💰 Pricing: Paid

29. Stripe Radar AI

✔ Payment fraud detection
✔ Behavioural analysis
💰 Pricing: Freemium (included in Stripe transactions)

30. Xero AI / QuickBooks AI

✔ Automated bookkeeping
✔ Invoicing
✔ Expense categorisation
💰 Pricing: Paid

31. Plaid AI

✔ Data connectivity
✔ Risk evaluation
✔ Customer onboarding analysis
💰 Pricing: Paid

32. TIBCO Data Science AI

✔ Forecasting
✔ Advanced analytics
✔ Automation
💰 Pricing: Paid

6. Legal & Professional Services

33. Casetext CoCounsel

✔ Legal research
✔ Drafting
✔ Document summarisation
✔ Discovery automation
💰 Pricing: Paid

34. Harvey AI

✔ Contract review
✔ Legal research
✔ Draft automation
💰 Pricing: Paid

35. DoNotPay AI

✔ Automates basic legal tasks
✔ Consumer rights templates
💰 Pricing: Freemium

7. Hospitality, Travel & Food Services

36. SevenRooms AI

✔ Guest personalisation
✔ Reservations automation
✔ Loyalty management
💰 Pricing: Paid

37. Revinate AI

✔ Personalised hotel marketing
✔ CRM automation
💰 Pricing: Paid

38. Toast AI

✔ POS intelligence
✔ Sales forecasting
✔ Menu optimisation
💰 Pricing: Paid

39. Duetto AI

✔ Hotel revenue management
✔ Pricing optimisation
💰 Pricing: Paid

8. Energy, Power & Utilities

40. AutoGrid AI

✔ Smart grid optimisation
✔ Demand forecasting
✔ Energy distribution planning
💰 Pricing: Paid

41. Grid Singularity

✔ Decentralised energy analytics
✔ Blockchain-enabled monitoring
💰 Pricing: Paid

42. Schneider EcoStruxure AI

✔ Facility management
✔ Energy monitoring
✔ Predictive maintenance
💰 Pricing: Paid

9. Construction, Real Estate & Property Management

43. Procore AI

✔ Project management automation
✔ Risk detection
✔ Site data insights
💰 Pricing: Paid

44. OpenSpace AI

✔ Site capture
✔ Construction progress analytics
💰 Pricing: Paid

45. Nayya AI

✔ Cost estimation
✔ Budget optimisation
💰 Pricing: Paid

46. PlanRadar AI

✔ Defect tracking
✔ Documentation automation
💰 Pricing: Paid

• Should the FG Subsidise AI Tools for Nigerian SMEs?

10. Media, Entertainment & Creative Industries

47. Runway Gen-2 / Pika AI

✔ Video generation
✔ Editing automation
✔ VFX creation
💰 Pricing: Freemium/Paid

48. Descript AI

✔ Audio editing
✔ Podcast production
✔ Transcription
💰 Pricing: Freemium

49. Canva AI

✔ Graphic design
✔ Brand content generation
✔ Image enhancement
💰 Pricing: Freemium

50. Adobe Firefly

✔ Creative design
✔ Generative image creation
✔ Smart editing
💰 Pricing: Paid (Adobe subscription)

Final Thoughts

With this expanded guide, now detailing capabilities and pricing models, Nigerian SMEs can confidently identify the tools that fit their sector, budget, and growth goals.

AI is not optional anymore.
It is now the engine of modern productivity, and the SMEs that adopt sector-specific AI tools early will dominate their industries in the coming years.