MacArthur Foundation, Dataphyte Foundation, and UNILAG Convene Stakeholders to Push for Inclusive AI Development in Nigeria

Dataphyte Foundation, in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation and the University of Lagos (UNILAG), convened a one-day stakeholder dialogue on Monday, May 25, 2026, that brought together policymakers, researchers, technologists, academics, civil society leaders and media practitioners to examine the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) development in Nigeria and chart a collaborative path forward. 

The dialogue comes as Nigeria seeks to position itself as a key player in Africa's emerging AI ecosystem. While AI and other frontier technologies present new opportunities to improve public service delivery, drive innovation and address longstanding development challenges, stakeholders say significant gaps remain in governance, safety, infrastructure, research and inclusion.

Nigeria has made notable progress in recent years, with innovations ranging from local-language AI applications to emerging policy frameworks that promote ethical and inclusive AI development. However, concerns persist over inadequate safeguards against AI harms, weak standards for product innovation, limited AI governance research, poor coordination across sectors, weak data governance systems, and the underrepresentation of local languages and subnational priorities. 

The dialogue, held at the University of Lagos, provided a platform for participants from government, academia, healthcare, technology, civil society and the media to explore how these challenges can be addressed through coordinated action and shared investment.

Delivering the welcome remarks, the Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Kole Shettima, emphasised the need to ensure that Nigeria remains at the centre of conversations on artificial intelligence. He argued that meaningful progress requires diverse voices and perspectives, noting that AI policies and innovations must reflect the realities of communities across the country. He also highlighted Unilag as a key innovation hub in advancing inclusive AI development.

Photo: Dataphyte Foundation

Additionally, the stakeholder dialogue hosted a panel of experts from academia, research, policy, and civil society, as well as AI startups and professionals in innovation and talent development, to discuss strategic pathways to an inclusive AI future for Nigeria through research, innovation, governance, and safety. 

Setting the tone for the panel discussion, Dataphyte Foundation's Country Director, Oluseyi Olufemi, who also moderated the session, emphasised the need for a more coordinated and sustainable AI ecosystem. In his opening remarks, he stressed that discussions on innovation, policy, research, and safety must reflect Nigeria's diverse social, economic, and cultural realities.

Photo: Dataphyte Foundation

Nissa Madu, representing Ojoma Ochai from CCHub, stressed that inclusion cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in underserved communities. She emphasised the importance of co-creating solutions with local communities and building systems capable of retaining Nigerian AI talent rather than accelerating brain drain.

Speaking on policy and ecosystem coordination, Dr Femi Obidare, representing the Executive Director of the Policy Innovation Centre, Dr Osasuyi Dirisu, highlighted the need for stronger coordination mechanisms, broader stakeholder participation, and measurable impact frameworks to strengthen public trust and attract sustained government investment in AI.

On AI safety, the Executive Director of AI Safety Nigeria, Ayuba Tudolo, stressed that governance frameworks must be rooted in local realities and responsive to the unique risks facing Nigerians. He advocated dedicated institutions, sustainable funding mechanisms and community-driven approaches to identifying and mitigating AI-related harms.

Meanwhile, an Associate Professor at the University of Lagos and a specialist in Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing (NLP), Dr Victor Odomuyiwa, argued that Nigeria's pursuit of AI sovereignty will depend on sustained investment in local-language technologies, academic research, open-source innovation, and indigenous digital infrastructure.

By the end of the stakeholder dialogue, participants agreed that building an AI ecosystem that is innovative, safe, and inclusive will require sustained collaboration among government, academia, industry, civil society, and development partners. They emphasised that the benefits of AI must extend to communities across Nigeria, regardless of geography, language, or socioeconomic status. 

Stakeholders are committed to sustaining the dialogue through future engagements, collaborative research, policy advocacy, and the establishment of platforms that can translate recommendations into measurable action.