NITDA Pushes Responsible AI Agenda, Seeks to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Digital Powerhouse

 Barrister Emmanuel Edet, Ag. Director, Regulation and Compliance Department, Representative of Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the DG NITDA, delivering a remark at the AI Summit Nigeria 2026.

“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." Inuwa.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has intensified efforts to position Nigeria at the forefront of Africa’s artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, stressing that responsible adoption, digital sovereignty, and indigenous innovation are critical to unlocking the country’s digital future.

Speaking at the AI Summit Nigeria 2026 in Abuja, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said artificial intelligence has the potential to transform every sector of the economy, but warned that its success depends on public trust, accountability, and transparency.

Represented by Barr. Emmanuel Edet, the Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance, Inuwa stated that trust remains the foundation of sustainable AI deployment.

“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.

Barrister Edet (middle) making his presentation, flanked by other Panelists at AI Summit Nigeria 2026.

The summit, themed “From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption for Nigeria’s Digital Decade,” was organised by Microsoft in collaboration with NITDA and MTN. It brought together key stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and the private sector to chart a roadmap for integrating AI into Nigeria’s development agenda.

A major highlight of Inuwa’s address was the call for greater digital sovereignty, urging Nigeria and the broader African continent to move beyond consuming foreign technologies and begin creating 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 a decisive role in shaping the future of global AI rather than merely adapting to technologies developed elsewhere.

Also speaking at the summit, Microsoft’s Director of Government Affairs for West Africa, Nonye Ujam, commended Nigeria’s progress in developing AI governance frameworks, including the National AI Strategy and ongoing regulatory reforms.

She, however, challenged stakeholders to move beyond policy formulation and focus on implementation, emphasizing the need for AI solutions that deliver tangible benefits for citizens, businesses, and public institutions.

Ujam noted that successful AI adoption requires strong governance structures, reliable infrastructure, and institutional capacity, while ensuring that innovation is guided by principles of fairness, security, transparency, and accountability.

The summit featured robust discussions on regulatory certainty, digital sovereignty, innovation, and strategic collaboration, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to harnessing AI while safeguarding national interests.

Among institutions represented at the event were the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and Galaxy Backbone, reflecting growing alignment among key stakeholders toward advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.

Industry observers say the summit signals a renewed commitment by government and private-sector leaders to transform Nigeria from an AI policy maker into an AI innovation hub capable of driving economic growth and technological competitiveness across Africa.