Stakeholders at the Nigeria Fintech Week in Lagos urged African governments to strengthen regulations on Artificial Intelligence to protect the continent’s data sovereignty.
They warned about the risks of foreign companies gaining control over African data, potentially leading to exploitation and violations of privacy rights and local laws.
Experts emphasized the necessity for robust AI governance to safeguard citizens’ interests across the continent.
Speaking during a panel session, the Managing Director of Simmons Cooper Partners, Ikem Isiekwena, warned of an “intelligence trap”, wherein AI models, primarily trained on data from the global north, could leave Africa reliant on foreign technologies that fail to address the continent’s specific needs.
“AI models are largely trained on data from the global north, making African contexts and narratives underrepresented. When our stories and contexts are missing from the data driving AI, we risk facing a new form of colonialism—one where foreign data shapes outcomes in Africa,” he cautioned.
Isiekwena highlighted an “intelligence trap” that threatens Africa’s sovereignty, warning that the continent risks becoming a passive consumer of foreign AI technologies.
He argued that without sufficient local data to inform these models, Africa may end up with tools that do not meet its unique needs, undermining its ability to develop tailored solutions.
On the regulatory front, he noted the fragmentation of legal frameworks across African countries, which complicates the establishment of cohesive AI governance.
Isiekwena pointed out that countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa operate under common law systems, whereas Francophone countries follow civil law systems.
These differences create significant challenges in establishing a unified regulatory framework for AI across the continent, complicating efforts to create cohesive and effective governance.
The Director of Bola Adesina Consulting, Bola Adesina, stated that Africa’s regulatory framework was lagging behind the rapid advancements in AI, urging the continent to establish “legacy regulations” to avoid falling further behind.
While acknowledging the opportunities presented by AI, she emphasized the need for robust legal and ethical frameworks to govern the technology.
This, she argued, is essential to ensure responsible development and deployment that aligns with societal values and protects citizens’ rights.
“AI is not entirely new—it’s been around for decades. But what we are seeing today is a leap in user interface advancements, particularly driven by platforms like OpenAI, that make the technology more accessible and applicable. What we would have seen in the next 10 years is happening now,” Adesina said.
She cautioned that Africa’s slow pace in ratifying AI-related policies could limit its ability to fully leverage the benefits of AI.
Adesina referenced the Malabo Convention, an African Union initiative on data protection, noting that it took over seven years to ratify, highlighting the regulatory delays that hinder progress on the continent.
“This slow pace cannot be repeated if we want to stay competitive. AI does not recognize borders, and without strong protections in place, we risk falling behind,” she warned.
The Director of Maycode, Adeboye
Adetoyese also urged African governments to enhance AI-related policies, focusing particularly on data protection, ethics, and human rights.
He emphasized that strong policies in these areas are crucial for fostering a responsible and equitable AI landscape across the continent.
“Africa has the potential to leverage AI for significant economic and social gains, but only if we have robust policies in place,” he said.
He noted that while AI is often seen as a new technology, it is built on concepts that have existed for decades.
Adetoyese explained that the rapid evolution of AI in recent years, primarily driven by advancements in user interfaces, has created challenges that many African governments are ill-prepared to tackle.
The African Union recently approved the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aimed at facilitating the adoption of AI in both public and private sectors across member states, including Nigeria.
Published on the AU website on August 9, the strategy seeks to harness AI’s transformative potential to drive economic, social, and geopolitical change in Africa.
