The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reiterated its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leading player in Africa’s artificial intelligence economy, emphasizing the importance of responsible AI adoption, digital sovereignty and local innovation.
The agency’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, made this known at the AI Summit Nigeria 2026 held in Abuja. Represented by NITDA’s Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance, Emmanuel Edet, Inuwa described artificial intelligence as a transformative technology with the potential to reshape every sector of the economy.
Speaking on the theme, “From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption for Nigeria’s Digital Decade,” Inuwa stressed that trust, accountability and transparency are essential for the sustainable adoption of AI technologies.
“Without public trust, AI adoption will be stalled. Without accountability, innovation will not scale sustainably, and without transparency, citizens will lose confidence in the systems designed to serve them,” he said.
The summit, organised by Microsoft in collaboration with NITDA and MTN, brought together stakeholders from government and the private sector to discuss strategies for advancing AI adoption across Nigeria.
Inuwa called for greater digital sovereignty, urging Nigeria to move beyond being a consumer of foreign technologies and become a creator of AI solutions tailored to local realities.
“We must become creators of intelligence rooted in our realities and responsive to our aspirations. We must build local talent, strengthen research ecosystems and create an enabling environment where Nigerian and African solutions can thrive,” he said.
According to him, Africa must play an active role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence rather than simply adapting technologies developed elsewhere.
Also speaking at the event, Microsoft’s Director of Government Affairs for West Africa, Nonye Ujam, commended Nigeria’s efforts in developing AI governance frameworks, including the National AI Strategy and ongoing regulatory reforms.
She, however, urged stakeholders to focus on translating policy initiatives into practical solutions that deliver measurable outcomes for citizens, businesses and government institutions.
“As the focus shifts from strategy to implementation, the priority is to translate ambition into impact by operationalising AI in ways that deliver real and measurable outcomes,” she said.
Ujam noted that successful AI adoption requires robust governance frameworks, reliable infrastructure, institutional capacity and adherence to principles such as fairness, transparency, security and accountability.
The summit featured discussions on digital sovereignty, AI governance, innovation and collaboration, with participation from institutions including the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Galaxy Backbone.
