The Federal Government of Nigeria says the country currently ranks best in Africa for artificial intelligence governance, citing a significant climb up the Government AI Readiness Index over the past three years.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani disclosed the ranking at the launch of the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology report in Abuja on Monday. The minister, represented by Bunmi Ajala, said the Government AI Readiness Index had ranked Nigeria at number 141 three years ago, with the country now moved up to number 72. “In terms of AI governance, Nigeria ranks the best in Africa,” he said.
The minister said the government has developed one of Africa’s most comprehensive National Artificial Intelligence strategies and that the country is ready to take advantage of new technologies. “Recognising the transformative potential of AI, we’ve also developed one of Africa’s most comprehensive National Artificial Intelligence strategies through a highly collaborative and inclusive process involving researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and experts from within Nigeria and across the world,” he said. “This strategy provides a framework for leveraging AI to drive Nigeria’s economic growth, improve governance, and address societal challenges while ensuring that innovation remains aligned with our values and development priorities. These efforts are already producing results.”
Tijani said AI readiness is measured not by innovation alone but also by inclusion, access, governance and trust — adding that the significance of UNESCO’s AI readiness assessment methodology lies in its recognition that successful AI adoption requires a holistic approach. While praising UNESCO’s leadership in advancing the recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence, he said the organization had also reminded the government to ask questions about responsibility, fairness, accountability and inclusion.
UNESCO officer in charge of the Abuja office Dimitri Sanga said AI is now interwoven into all fabrics of modern life, transforming how institutions are managed and problems are solved. “In November 2021, UNESCO’s 193 member states unanimously adopted the historical Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which serves as the first global standard-setting normative framework designed to ensure AI technology is developed and deployed in a human-centric, right-based, and sustainable manner,” he said. “For protecting human rights, promoting fairness, preventing bias and harm, the Recommendation sought to unify global action toward an AI ecosystem that benefits everyone.”
Sanga said UNESCO, with funding from the European Union, has since 2024 been supporting Nigeria through the Readiness Assessment Methodology to operationalize digital infrastructure, policy and institutions across five key states. “Today, we are faced with results — a diagnostic report of Nigeria’s great strive for an ethical AI ecosystem, indicating clearly how ready we are to strengthen the practice of designing and deploying AI systems and other boundary technologies ethically,” he said. “However, we must not forget that the diagnostic report is not a destination. This is the beginning of informed decision-making.”
Sanga said UNESCO had commenced the capacity-building component of the programme, leveraging EU support to train more than 400 civil servants across six states in Nigeria using an AI literacy training module, and is hoping to partner with more states, ministries, departments and agencies, and stakeholders to enhance human capacity and provide guidelines for everyday interaction with the AI ecosystem. He said Nigeria has demonstrated outstanding leadership in integrating the UNESCO Recommendation on ethical AI into its national strategy, expressing confidence that the report would be effectively deployed to reaffirm Nigeria’s leadership role in leveraging ethical AI for development in Africa.
