Nigeria’s strategies in AI development across Africa, By Shuaib S. Agaka

Nigeria’s AI strategy has the potential to influence the future direction of AI governance in Africa. Its focus on ethical AI regulation sets it apart from other countries, positioning it as a leader in responsible AI development. In due time, Nigeria would become a model for how African countries can harness AI’s power, while protecting their citizens’ rights and interests.

At Technovate Fest 2024, Kashifu Inuwa, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), outlined Nigeria’s two-fold approach to adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He emphasised NITDA’s commitment to both promoting AI adoption and ensuring its responsible and ethical use across various sectors. The approach involves, first, investing in capacity building to ensure AI literacy spreads throughout society, and second, developing regulatory frameworks that prioritise transparency, data privacy, and cybersecurity in AI development.

The landscape of AI adoption in Africa is diverse and evolving. Several countries have begun to recognise the transformative potential of AI, incorporating it into national strategies and private-sector innovation. Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt are often seen as the continent’s forerunners in AI development, each taking unique approaches.

For example, South Africa has established several AI research hubs, focusing on using AI in areas like healthcare, agriculture, and fintech. Kenya, leveraging its strong digital innovation ecosystem, is using AI in mobile financial services and agriculture as well, while Egypt is integrating AI into public administration and education. Despite these advances, AI adoption remains uneven across the continent, largely due to varying levels of economic development and digital orientation.

Over the years, Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has adopted many strategies to foster AI adoption and the latest one in view is the “ two-fold approach”, with capacity building being one of its primary focuses. NITDA’s strategy aims to ensure that AI literacy spreads across various sectors of Nigerian society, from education and healthcare to finance and agriculture. This approach recognises that without a workforce skilled in AI technologies, any nation will struggle to harness the potential of AI to drive economic growth and innovation.

Through strategic partnerships with educational institutions, tech hubs, and private sector organisations, NITDA is working to create a robust AI learning ecosystem that involves upskilling the existing workforce, training young people in AI-related skills, and incorporating AI into the formal education curricula.

One of the key programmes under this initiative is NITDA’s continuation of collaboration with international organisations and companies to create training platforms and boot camps. Partnerships with companies like Google, Microsoft, JICA, and Bootcamp have facilitated AI training for students, entrepreneurs, and professionals in Nigeria. These programmes focus on both the theoretical foundations of AI, such as machine learning algorithms and data science, and practical applications in local industries like agriculture and financial services. By aligning AI literacy with the needs of the local economy, NITDA ensures that the workforce is equipped with the skills required to drive AI adoption in Nigeria’s key sectors.

In addition to international partnerships, the agency also tends to continue to launch domestic initiatives to build AI capacity. These include organising national hackathons, innovation competitions, and AI-focused conferences aimed at fostering a culture of creativity and problem-solving. Through these platforms, NITDA engages Nigerian youth and tech enthusiasts, encouraging them to develop AI-based solutions to local challenges. Such efforts contribute to a broader national objective of turning Nigeria into an AI innovation hub within Africa.

The second pillar of the strategy recognises the rapid pace of AI development and the need to address the concerns about the ethical implications of AI, including issues of bias, discrimination, and most importantly, privacy violations. The pillar involves developing robust regulatory frameworks that ensure AI development adheres to ethical standards. NITDA’s approach to AI regulation is grounded in the principles of transparency, data privacy, and cybersecurity, aiming to create an environment where AI technologies can thrive without compromising the rights and safety of individuals.

Additionally, in recent years, Nigeria has enacted the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), which governs the collection, storage, and use of personal data. As AI systems often rely on large datasets, ensuring that data privacy is upheld is crucial for maintaining public trust in AI technologies. NITDA has taken a proactive stance in enforcing the NDPR, with penalties for organisations that fail to comply with its provisions.

Compared to other African nations, Nigeria’s regulatory approach through NITDA is relatively advanced. While countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt are also working on AI governance, their frameworks tend to focus more on fostering innovation and economic growth, with less emphasis on ethical regulation. Nigeria, on the other hand, is placing equal weight on both innovation and ethical oversight, recognising that responsible AI development is crucial for long-term societal trust.

The approach focuses on transparency, data privacy, and cybersecurity, creating a more responsible and sustainable environment for AI development. By incorporating ethical standards early on, Nigeria is attempting to prevent the pitfalls that unchecked AI can bring. This balanced approach positions Nigeria to maintain its leadership role in AI governance within Africa, particularly in terms of setting ethical standards that other countries may follow.

Moreover, Nigeria’s AI strategy is supported by strong government involvement, ensuring that policies align with the country’s broader economic and technological goals. NITDA’s role in coordinating AI-related programmes and working with international tech companies gives Nigeria an edge over other African nations that lack centralised leadership in AI development. The agency’s ability to implement training programmes, foster innovation hubs, and create partnerships with the private sector further strengthens Nigeria’s position as an emerging AI leader. This coordinated approach ensures that AI development in Nigeria is both inclusive and strategic, enabling the country to build a sustainable AI ecosystem.

Another strength of Nigeria’s approach lies in its potential to democratise AI education and training due to its scale and ambition. South Africa and Egypt have similar programmes focused on AI education and skills development, but Nigeria’s approach is unique in its integration of both grassroots initiatives and top-down policy support. For example, Kenya focuses on private-sector-driven AI training through startups and innovation hubs, while Nigeria’s government plays a more active role through NITDA, ensuring that AI education reaches a wider demographic.

No doubt, this comprehensive approach is intended to democratise access to AI literacy, particularly in underserved communities where digital education is often lacking. Such a widespread approach would allow Nigeria, in due time, to produce a large, skilled AI workforce, giving it a competitive advantage in the long run.

Nigeria’s AI strategy has the potential to influence the future direction of AI governance in Africa. Its focus on ethical AI regulation sets it apart from other countries, positioning it as a leader in responsible AI development. In due time, Nigeria would become a model for how African countries can harness AI’s power, while protecting their citizens’ rights and interests.

Shuaib S. Agaka, a tech journalist writes from PRNigeria Centre, Kano State.