Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here. It’s no longer a futuristic fantasy but a present-day reality, powering everything from our social media feeds to complex financial models. In Nigeria, the excitement around AI is real and growing, especially after the official launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) in April 2025. Startups, government agencies, and institutions are gearing up to harness this power responsibly and locally.
But as we rush to deploy AI in every sector, we must pause and ask a critical question: Are we building AI that we can trust? AI that is not only powerful but also ethical, fair, and genuinely useful for our unique challenges and local context? For innovators across the country, building this trust is not optional—it’s the foundation of every solution we create.
The Trust Deficit: Why Ethical AI Matters in Nigeria
AI isn’t neutral by default. It learns from data, and when that data is skewed, the results can be flawed, discriminatory, or outright harmful. This is a real concern in the Nigerian and wider African context.
The Data Bias Problem:
The foundational datasets used to train many large AI models are heavily Western. Nigerian languages, cultural cues, and even skin tones are underrepresented. This lack of representation can lead to AI that fails to understand local dialects like Yoruba or Igbo, misidentifies people in facial recognition systems, or misunderstands context when interpreting text in Pidgin or other local expressions. When AI gets these things wrong, it doesn’t just annoy—it risks excluding or harming people.
The “Black Box” Dilemma:
Many advanced AI systems operate in ways that are hard to interpret. If someone is denied access to a service or flagged by an AI system, they deserve to know why. Without transparency or explainability, it’s impossible to challenge unfair decisions. Trust is eroded, and accountability becomes blurry.
Job Displacement and Economic Fears:
The fear that AI will take away jobs is valid, especially in a country like Nigeria with high youth unemployment. While AI does create new roles, it will also automate some existing ones. The key is to ensure AI augments human capabilities, not replaces them, and to prepare our workforce for the opportunities of the future. Programs like the 3MTT (3 Million Technical Talent) initiative are already working toward this by skilling up a generation of Nigerians for the digital economy.
A Framework for Trustworthy AI in Nigeria
The launch of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy emphasises five pillars, including a strong focus on ethics, governance, and inclusion. Here's how that translates into practical actions for Nigerian builders, makers, and developers:
Problem-First, Not Tech-First:
The most impactful AI isn’t the most advanced—it’s the one that solves real problems. Start with context: “How can we reduce post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers in Taraba?” or “What would make diagnosis easier in a rural clinic in Cross River?” If AI is the right fit, great. If not, don’t force it.
Data with Dignity:
Treat data as a reflection of people, not just numbers. This means:
Source Locally: Build datasets that reflect real Nigerian contexts—accents, crops, street layouts, health records, local languages. Startups like CDIAL (Indigenius) are already developing AI tools that work with African languages. This work needs to be scaled.
Audit for Bias: Check your training data. Are you including people from all age groups, genders, and ethnic backgrounds? Are Northern and Southern dialects represented fairly? Don’t assume—it’s your job to confirm.
Ensure Privacy: With the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA) in effect, it's crucial to anonymise data when possible, collect only what you need, and tell users clearly what you're collecting and why.
Transparency and Explainability (XAI):
Whenever possible, use models that allow for interpretability. If you must use a “black box” (like a large neural network), then surround it with tools that help explain decisions. Let users ask: “Why was I denied a loan?”—and get a clear answer.
Human-in-the-Loop:
Especially for high-stakes decisions in healthcare, justice, or finance, AI should assist—not replace—humans. A doctor in a clinic in Akwa Ibom should use AI as a second opinion, not a final answer. AI is great at pattern recognition; humans bring context and wisdom.
Useful AI in Action: The Nigerian Opportunity
When developed ethically and with context, AI can unlock real value across sectors in Nigeria:
Agriculture (AgriTech):
AI-powered drones and image analysis can detect crop health issues early. Predictive models can forecast rainfall or pests, helping farmers make better decisions and reduce waste.
Healthcare:
AI can support overworked clinicians by spotting patterns in X-rays or medical scans that may signal diseases like tuberculosis or cervical cancer. This is especially vital in under-resourced areas.
Financial Inclusion:
Traditional banking systems leave many Nigerians out. AI can help by analysing alternative data (like mobile phone usage or payment behaviour) to create more inclusive credit scoring models and expand access to loans.
Education:
Adaptive learning platforms powered by AI can personalise education, adjusting difficulty levels, content delivery, and pacing to suit each student. This is especially helpful in overcrowded or underserved classrooms.
The Road Ahead: Ethics by Default, Not as an Afterthought
Nigeria’s AI journey is just beginning. The strategy is in place, funding has been pledged, and pilot projects are rolling out. But ethical deployment of AI isn’t something we’ll figure out later—it’s something we must build into the foundation today.
For tech hubs, makerspaces, and incubators like Build-a-Tech Incubator & Workspace, the mission is clear: build with context. Build with empathy. Build with people at the centre. The goal isn’t just smarter machines—it’s smarter, fairer systems that understand and work for Nigerians. That’s the kind of AI we can trust. And that’s the kind we need.