Nigeria needs a comprehensive national framework for artificial intelligence as the rapid adoption of AI across finance, healthcare, media, education and public services raises growing concerns over privacy, accountability, transparency and human oversight.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of everyday life in Nigeria. From automated customer service systems and digital journalism tools to financial technology platforms, educational applications and government initiatives, organisations are deploying AI to improve efficiency and expand access to services.
However, the speed at which the technology is developing has created a challenge for policymakers. Innovation is often moving faster than the laws and policies designed to govern its use, creating questions about how citizens can be protected while allowing businesses and innovators to continue developing new solutions.
The National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, is among those highlighting the need for responsible governance as AI becomes more deeply integrated into the economy.
The debate is no longer simply about whether Nigeria should adopt artificial intelligence. Increasingly, the focus is on how AI should be developed and deployed, who should be responsible for its decisions and what rights citizens should have when technology affects their lives.
AI Is Already Affecting Important Decisions
One of the major areas of concern is the growing use of AI in financial services.
AI-powered systems can assess information and influence whether individuals qualify for loans and other financial products. While automated assessments can improve efficiency and potentially expand financial inclusion, they can also create problems when people are denied access to services based on decisions they do not understand or cannot challenge.
This raises a fundamental question: who is responsible when an AI system produces a discriminatory or harmful outcome?
Responsibility could potentially involve the developer of the system, the organisation that deployed it or another party involved in the decision-making process.
Experts argue that Nigeria’s regulatory framework must provide clear answers to such questions.
AI systems should not make decisions with significant consequences for citizens without mechanisms for human oversight. Individuals affected by automated decisions should have avenues to request explanations, seek reviews and challenge decisions that affect their rights.
Transparency Must Accompany AI Use
Another major issue is disclosure.
Experts say Nigerians should know when they are interacting with an AI system rather than a human being. Organisations using AI to analyse personal information, assess applications or make recommendations should also disclose the role the technology plays in the process.
This is particularly important because the decisions produced by AI can sometimes appear objective even when the data or systems behind them contain biases.
Achi Joseph, an AI researcher with Mike Achi & Co. (Chartered Accountants), noted that data has become one of the most valuable resources in the digital economy and that AI depends heavily on the collection and processing of personal information.
Without adequate safeguards, he warned, citizens’ information could be exposed to misuse, unauthorised access or exploitation.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has already strengthened the country’s data protection architecture, but experts believe the growing use of AI requires additional safeguards around automated decision-making, algorithmic transparency and accountability.
AI Also Raises Questions About Creative Work
The governance debate extends beyond financial services and personal data.
AI systems can now produce articles, images, research materials, music and other creative works, creating questions about ownership, originality and the contribution of human creators.
These questions are particularly relevant to Nigeria’s media and creative industries, where AI tools are increasingly being used to improve productivity.
Journalist and development expert Victor Idajili said AI could assist journalists, researchers and content creators, but argued that its use should not diminish human creativity, professional judgement and ethical responsibility.
He stressed that work produced with AI assistance still requires human verification and accountability.
Clear standards may therefore be needed to determine how AI-generated material is credited and how human contributions are recognised.
The issue is not simply about giving credit. Attribution also determines who is accountable for the final product.
Calls for a National AI Framework
Experts are increasingly calling for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive national artificial intelligence governance framework.
Such a framework would establish standards for ethical innovation, data protection, security, transparency and accountability while providing clearer guidance for government agencies, businesses, researchers and citizens.
Achi Joseph argued that without a clear national strategy, Nigeria could become increasingly dependent on foreign AI technologies without sufficient control over how those systems are developed and deployed.
A national framework would also need to reflect Nigeria’s own economic and social realities rather than simply reproducing regulatory models developed elsewhere.
The objective, experts argue, should be to encourage home-grown AI solutions capable of addressing challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and public administration.
NDPA Provides a Starting Point
Nigeria is not starting from zero.
Tech lawyer Dr Olumide Babalola noted that the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) already provides safeguards relating to automated decision-making.
According to him, the law recognises the risks associated with decisions based solely on automated processing where such decisions have legal or similarly significant effects.
This is particularly relevant in areas such as lending, employment and access to public services, where AI-driven decisions could significantly affect individuals. Babalola said affected persons should have opportunities to seek human review and challenge outcomes.
He also pointed to the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2029) as another important foundation for Nigeria’s emerging AI governance framework.
Organisations deploying AI in high-impact sectors, he argued, should be required to inform individuals when AI is being used, explain important decisions in understandable terms and provide accessible channels for human review.
Regular assessments of high-risk AI systems could also help identify bias, privacy concerns and discriminatory outcomes before and during deployment.
Experts Recommend a Phased Approach
Prof. Osaretin George Izevbuwa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of Igbinedion University, Okada, has argued for a balanced and phased approach to AI regulation.
In a paper titled “Between Innovation and Accountability: Designing a Balanced Legal Framework for Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria: A Comparative Constitutional and Regulatory Analysis,” Izevbuwa argued that Nigeria requires a framework capable of encouraging technological development while protecting fundamental rights.
He described his preferred model as a risk-based, constitutionally anchored hybrid framework that combines existing laws, regulatory guidelines and targeted AI legislation.
The professor identified the NDPA and National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as important foundations for the emerging governance structure.
He also pointed to constitutional protections covering areas such as dignity, fair hearing, privacy, freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination as relevant safeguards against potential abuses involving AI-powered surveillance, automated decision-making and harmful digital content.
Rather than immediately introducing an extensive AI law, Izevbuwa recommended strengthening existing guidelines and cooperation among agencies including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, Central Bank of Nigeria and Securities and Exchange Commission.
In the medium term, he proposed the creation of an independent AI governance body with clear statutory authority.
He cautioned, however, that a comprehensive AI law should only be enacted when the country’s regulatory capacity is sufficiently developed.
Balancing Innovation With Public Trust
The challenge for Nigeria is therefore not simply to regulate artificial intelligence, but to strike the right balance between innovation and accountability.
Excessive regulation could discourage investment and innovation, while an absence of effective safeguards could expose citizens to discrimination, privacy violations and other forms of harm.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve healthcare delivery, strengthen education, support agriculture, enhance public administration and create new economic opportunities. But experts warn that these benefits will depend heavily on public trust.
For Nigerians to trust AI-powered systems, they need confidence that their personal information will be protected, that important decisions can be explained and challenged, and that identifiable individuals or institutions remain responsible for consequential decisions.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in Nigeria’s economy and public institutions, the country’s regulatory choices will help determine whether the technology becomes a powerful tool for national development or creates a new set of risks.
The emerging consensus among experts is that Nigeria needs an adaptive and risk-based AI governance framework that protects privacy, human dignity, fairness and accountability without stifling innovation.
The decisions made now could ultimately shape not only how Nigeria regulates artificial intelligence, but also how effectively the country participates in the global AI economy.