ads
Nigeria may face growing risks from Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption if the country fails to introduce stronger laws and oversight frameworks, Toluwani Akinniyi, a cybersecurity analyst, has warned.
Akinniyi therefore called for the introduction of a National Artificial Intelligence Act to strengthen accountability, governance, and regulatory oversight as Nigeria pushes deeper into the global AI economy.
He said Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy shows that the country is serious about becoming a major player in the fast-growing AI industry. However, he warned that the country appears to be moving faster in ambition than in governance.
According to him, AI is no longer just a simple automation tool but a powerful decision-making technology that can influence hiring processes, financial services, healthcare systems, fraud detection, policing, and public service delivery.
Read also: FG fixes June 17 for nationwide digital switchover launch
ads
ads
He warned that weak governance structures could allow poor data practices and hidden biases to spread across institutions and affect millions of people.
“Weak data governance can evolve into automated poor decision-making. Existing bias can scale into systemic discrimination. Limited oversight can create opaque systems with little accountability,” Akinniyi said.
The analyst explained that while Nigeria’s AI strategy focuses strongly on innovation, research, digital inclusion, and talent development, it pays less attention to enforceable governance systems.
He identified major gaps in areas such as accountability, independent oversight, auditability, explainability standards, and the classification of high-risk AI applications.
ads
ads
“For a technology capable of influencing millions of lives simultaneously, voluntary guidance alone may not be enough,” he harped.
Akinniyi noted that countries around the world are already shifting discussions on AI from broad policy ideas to stricter regulation and enforcement as governments try to balance innovation with public safety and accountability.
According to him, introducing a National AI Act would not slow innovation in Nigeria but would instead help build public trust and investor confidence in AI systems.
Read also: Heirs Insurance leads Nigeria insurance revolution with first multi-language GenAI assistant
“Sustainable innovation depends on trust, accountability, and clear governance expectations. Organisations deploying AI systems should understand their obligations. Citizens should understand their rights. Regulators should understand their authority,” he stated.
He also warned that Nigeria’s existing challenges around cybersecurity, data governance, regulatory coordination, and enforcement could worsen if AI adoption expands without stronger safeguards.
Akinniyi urged policymakers to ensure governance structures develop at the same pace as technology adoption so Nigeria can position itself as a trusted digital economy.
“At its core, AI governance is not primarily about technology. It is about accountability, oversight, and protecting people in systems increasingly influenced by algorithms they neither see nor fully understand,” he added.
Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.
