While global boardrooms are caught in a tug of war over whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) will replace or rescue humanity, Nigeria is rewriting the script: AI is not here to take jobs. It’s here to spark genius.
At the BusinessDay CEO Forum Nigeria in Lagos, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, delivered a perspective that many didn’t see coming.
“AI is not just a tool. It’s a thought partner,” Inuwa declared, flipping the narrative that AI is something to fear. “It can help you think bigger, build smarter, and unlock new economies. But only if you know how to collaborate with it.”
From Factory Floor to Boardroom: AI Has Entered the Chat
Inuwa’s remarks came during a panel discussion titled “Builders of the New Nigeria, Stories of Scale, Grit, and Innovation,” where he urged Nigerian CEOs to step into the AI conversation not as passive users, but as architects of a tech-enabled future.
He made it clear: AI will not replace humans, but it will replace outdated skills and passive mindsets.
“The real threat isn’t AI, it’s being unprepared to work with it,” he said.
His advice was, don’t treat AI like magic. Treat it like a teammate and assign it roles. Let it be your virtual lawyer, co-founder, product tester, or analyst. The more context you give it, the more value it returns.
Regulate with Courage, Not Fear
While Silicon Valley wrestles with whether to pause AI, Nigeria is stepping boldly forward not with reckless adoption, but with co-creation and experimentation.
Inuwa explained NITDA’s regulatory philosophy: “We don’t regulate from fear. We test, collaborate, and learn together with the private sector.”
NITDA’s policy sandbox approach where new AI systems are tested in real-world environments before wide-scale rollout is part of a broader strategy to build ethically sound, locally relevant, and globally competitive AI ecosystems.
This collaborative method, Inuwa said, ensures that innovation isn’t stifled but neither is public safety compromised.
The Real AI Revolution is Human
In a world chasing automation, Inuwa grounded the conversation in something deeper: imagination, responsibility, and people.
He cautioned against blind trust in AI, calling it “the worst version of itself until proven otherwise.” His reasoning is that technology should earn our trust, not demand it.
Still, he believes the upside is massive.
“Nigeria can’t afford to sit this one out. AI is not the future. It’s now. And we must shape it on our own terms—with our own values, for our own people.”
CEOs, Innovators, Policymakers: The New Tribe of Builders
At the forum, which drew heavyweights from across sectors, panelists shared stories of grit, innovation, and bold pivots in a turbulent economy.
Conversations revolved around digital payments, data-driven strategy, startup resilience, and of course—AI as the next frontier of scale.
Inuwa’s call to action landed powerfully among a new tribe of Nigerian CEOs who see innovation not as a trend but as a survival skill.
The Nigeria Model: Bold, Inclusive, Human-Centered AI
As tech giants debate AI’s future, Nigeria is already building a model worth watching one that champions both economic scale and social responsibility.
By embedding AI within national development goals, fostering public-private collaboration, and pushing for skills reimagining not just skills acquisition, NITDA is laying the tracks for Africa’s AI economy.
“The aim isn’t just to regulate AI. It’s to domesticate it to ensure it works for every Nigerian, not just the elite,” Inuwa noted.
