Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here. It is already embedded in the daily lives of Nigerians. It curates the Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok feeds we scroll through. It powers the autocorrect and voice assistants on our phones and drives the loan approval systems many rely on for quick cash. It influences who gets a job interview, which advertisements we see online, and even how fraud is detected in our bank accounts. AI is not just a futuristic concept ─ it is shaping our realities in ways that many people may not even realise yet.
However, while AI mirrors the values and culture of those designing it, it raises a critical question: Are Nigeria’s culture and values represented in the AI systems we interact with daily?
Good examples of why Nigeria needs it own AI policies have been written about by Dr Desmond Eteh in a Vanguard newspaper piece titled ‘AI for climate action: Nigeria and global viewpoint’ and his (Dr Eteh) intervention on The Guardian newspaper titled ‘How govt can leverage AI to adress environmental challenges’. Also worthy of mention is Ugochukwu Akajiaku’s piece in The Punch newspaper titled ‘Shaping AI future’. These articles, and other related pieces, support the reason Nigeria needs its own AI policy to drive innovation in the country.
AI does not operate in a vacuum. It reflects the values, priorities, and biases of its creators. The dominant AI models powering today’s innovations are largely developed in the United States, China, and Europe. But can an AI system built in Silicon Valley or Beijing truly understand and serve the realities of Lagos, Port Harcourt, or Yenagoa? If Nigeria does not actively participate in shaping the ethics of AI, we risk being passive adopters of a technology that may not align with our cultural values or economic realities.
The bias in AI is a global problem with local consequences. AI learns from historical data. If that data is biased, the AI will be too. Studies have already shown that facial recognition technology has higher error rates when identifying Black faces compared to White faces. In financial services, AI-driven lending models trained on Western credit histories may unfairly disadvantage Nigerians who lack formal credit records but thrive in informal economies.
The problem isn’t that AI is inherently flawed, but that AI inherits the flaws of the data it is trained on. This raises an urgent question: Who gets to decide the ethical framework for AI? Right now, Nigeria is not at the table where these decisions are made, and that must change.
Nigeria is already adopting AI in key sectors, but if we do not shape its ethical foundation, we could face serious consequences. Biased AI hiring tools may filter out qualified Nigerian candidates who do not fit a ‘Western’ employment profile. AI-driven medical diagnosis tools might not be trained on African genetic data, leading to misdiagnoses or incorrect treatment recommendations.
Algorithmic law enforcement tools could reinforce biases that disproportionately impact certain communities, just as seen in the United States and the United Kingdom. The danger is clear: If Nigeria does not help define the ethical standards for AI, we risk importing technologies that do more harm than good.
Nigeria must take control of AI ethics by creating national AI ethics regulations. Many global powers are setting strict AI policies, with the European Union’s AI Act being one example. Nigeria must develop its own AI governance framework that ensures fairness, transparency, and accountability. This means establishing an AI regulatory body to oversee ethical AI deployment, requiring AI audits in sensitive areas like banking, healthcare, and policing, and mandating transparency from companies using AI, ensuring their algorithms do not embed harmful biases. Without a strong regulatory framework, AI could deepen existing inequalities rather than solve them.
Nigeria must also invest in African-centric AI development. Instead of relying solely on imported AI systems, Nigeria must develop homegrown AI solutions that reflect African realities. Government funding should support AI research tailored to Nigeria’s unique social, economic, and cultural needs. Universities should establish AI research centres focused on ethical AI and indigenous data sets. Tech startups should be incentivised to develop AI applications that solve African problems. If AI is built with Nigerian data and for Nigerian users, it will be far more effective and inclusive.
Ensuring African voices are included in global AI discussions is another crucial step. Africa is often sidelined in global tech policy discussions, yet these discussions shape the technologies that will impact our lives. Nigeria must actively push for representation in United Nations AI summits, African Union AI policy frameworks, and international AI ethics committees. Our policymakers and AI experts must be part of these conversations, ensuring that global AI ethics frameworks consider African contexts. If we are not part of these discussions, we will have to live with decisions made by others without our input.
Educating and engaging the public on AI ethics is equally essential. Many Nigerians interact with AI daily, through banking apps, social media algorithms, and digital hiring platforms, without knowing how these systems impact them. AI ethics should be included in school curricula to prepare the next generation of ethical tech leaders. Tech hubs should host public discussions and workshops on responsible AI use. Companies using AI should be required to disclose how their models make decisions and ensure fairness. Awareness is the first step to empowerment, and a well-informed public can demand ethical AI practices.
The question of AI ethics is not a luxury discussion for developed nations ─ it is a global issue. If Nigeria does not engage now, we risk inheriting AI systems that do not serve our best interests. But there is hope. Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing tech ecosystems in Africa. Our AI researchers and product managers are already making global strides. By actively shaping AI’s ethical landscape, through regulation, investment, and advocacy, we can ensure that AI serves our society rather than undermines it.
The future of AI is not just about technology, but about the values embedded in that technology. Nigeria must decide: Are we going to define these values, or allow others to define them for us?
The choices we make today will determine whether AI in Nigeria is a tool for progress or a source of unintended harm.
- Ebikombo-ere Olodiama, a product manager and AI strategist, writes from the United Kingdom.
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