Nigeria Ranks Top in Africa for AI Governance, says FG

The Federal Government says Nigeria currently ranks as the best-performing country in Africa in Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance, following improvements in policy direction, institutional frameworks and national readiness efforts.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this at the launch of the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Report in Abuja.

He said Nigeria has recorded significant progress in global AI readiness rankings, moving from 141st position three years ago to 72nd position in the latest assessment.

“In terms of AI governance, Nigeria ranks the best in Africa,” the minister said, noting that the improvement reflects ongoing reforms in digital policy and governance structures.

Tijani, who was represented by Dr Bunmi Ajala, said the government has developed one of Africa’s most comprehensive national AI strategies, designed through a multi-stakeholder process involving researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and global experts.

According to him, the strategy provides a framework for using artificial intelligence to drive economic growth, improve public service delivery and address development challenges, while maintaining alignment with national values and priorities.

He added that early implementation efforts are already beginning to yield measurable outcomes across key sectors.

The minister further stressed that AI readiness goes beyond technological innovation, arguing that governance, inclusion, access and public trust are equally critical to sustainable adoption.

He said the UNESCO-backed AI Readiness Assessment Methodology plays an important role in evaluating not only technological capacity but also institutional preparedness and ethical safeguards.

UNESCO, which supported the assessment, said artificial intelligence has become deeply embedded in modern systems and is reshaping governance, service delivery and problem-solving across countries.

Speaking at the event, the Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Abuja, Dr Dimitri Sanga, said member states adopted the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in 2021 as the first global framework to guide responsible AI development.

He said the framework was designed to ensure AI systems are human-centric, rights-based and sustainable, while also promoting fairness, accountability and protection against bias and harm.

Sanga noted that since 2024, UNESCO—supported by the European Union—has been working with Nigeria to implement the RAM framework, strengthen digital infrastructure and improve institutional capacity across selected states.

He added that more than 400 civil servants across six states have already been trained under AI literacy programmes aimed at improving public sector readiness.

According to him, Nigeria’s engagement demonstrates strong regional leadership in aligning national AI strategy with global ethical standards.

However, he stressed that the assessment report should not be seen as an endpoint but as a foundation for stronger policy decisions, institutional reform and continued investment in human capacity.

UNESCO expressed optimism that Nigeria’s approach could serve as a model for other African countries seeking to build ethical and inclusive AI ecosystems.