NITDA DG Joins Global Leaders, Calls for Inclusive AI That Expands Human Possibility

NITDA DG Joins Global Leaders, Calls for Inclusive AI That Expands Human Possibility

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, has called for a more inclusive approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI), urging global leaders to ensure that emerging technologies expand human capabilities rather than deepen existing inequalities.

Abdullahi made the call while participating in a high-level global dialogue on technology, innovation and social business as drivers of sustainable and inclusive development.

The session brought together prominent global leaders, including the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Khalilur Rahman; President of Timor-Leste and 1996 Nobel Peace Laureate, José Ramos-Horta; Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering Tobgay; Brazil’s State Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger, Wellington Dias; and Pakistan’s Minister of State and Chairman of the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, Bilal Bin Saqib, MBE.

Also featured was Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate, founder of Grameen Bank and Chair of the Global Committee on Social Business for Sustainable Development Goals.

In his keynote address, Abdullahi said the global conversation on AI should move beyond expanding access to technology to building systems founded on what he described as Representation, Access and Agency.

According to him, inclusive AI must reflect the data, languages, cultures, contexts and values of the people it is designed to serve, while giving citizens the capacity to understand, develop, shape and derive value from AI.

“Inclusive AI requires representation and access—and access must mean agency, not just consumption.”

Using agriculture as an example, the NITDA chief said AI could transform the lives of farmers who have limited access to agricultural experts by putting expert-level assistance within their reach.

He explained that an AI-enabled agricultural assistant could help a Nigerian farmer understand weather conditions and soil characteristics, identify crop challenges and connect with markets.

“The promise of AI is not that every Nigerian becomes an AI expert. It is that AI can put expertise within the reach of every Nigerian,” he said.

Abdullahi identified four key foundations of Nigeria’s approach to an inclusive AI future: Connect, Skill, Compute and Create.

He cited government initiatives aimed at expanding digital connectivity, building digital and technical skills, strengthening sovereign cloud and AI capabilities, and creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to develop solutions to pressing societal challenges.

On digital sovereignty, the NITDA DG clarified that Nigeria’s objective is not technological isolation but the ability to ensure that AI systems can understand Nigerian data, contexts and nuances, operate within Nigerian laws, and reflect the country’s culture and values.

He added that such an approach would remain open to international investment, technology models and partnerships.

Abdullahi also called for greater shared responsibility among governments, technology companies and citizens in shaping the AI ecosystem.

He said governments must provide infrastructure, policy clarity and regulatory certainty while protecting citizens, while global technology companies should move beyond selling technology to Africa and instead “build with Africa”.

According to him, this should include investments in computing infrastructure, knowledge transfer, talent development, African datasets and languages, as well as partnerships with local innovators and researchers.

The NITDA boss further urged young people to view AI as a tool for augmenting their capabilities, improving productivity and creating new opportunities.

He, however, stressed that increasing reliance on AI must not come at the expense of human accountability, particularly in areas such as healthcare, livelihoods, rights and public services.

“We can delegate tasks to machines. We cannot delegate accountability.”

Abdullahi challenged policymakers, technology companies and innovators to consider two fundamental questions when developing AI systems: Who is represented in the intelligence being created, and who has the agency to shape and create value from that intelligence?

He said the ultimate measure of success in the AI era should not be technological sophistication alone, but its ability to improve human lives.

“The defining achievement of the AI age should not be that we created machines capable of extraordinary intelligence. It should be that we used that intelligence to unlock extraordinary human possibility; for everyone,” he said.

Through NITDA, Abdullahi said Nigeria would continue to pursue an AI ecosystem where representation creates relevance, access creates opportunity and agency empowers Nigerians to become creators rather than mere consumers of the emerging AI economy.