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Nigeria has been ranked as Africa’s leading country for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance in the latest Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) 2026, climbing 42 places globally over the past two years to become one of the world’s strongest-performing emerging AI ecosystems.
The country advanced from 80th position in the 2024 edition of the index to 38th globally, achieving a score of 45.93 and overtaking other leading African economies, including Egypt and Kenya.
The latest ranking comes as countries across Africa intensify efforts to attract AI investment, develop digital talent and establish governance frameworks that support the safe and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence. With AI projected to contribute approximately $1.2 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, Nigeria’s improved standing is expected to strengthen its attractiveness as a destination for AI innovation, investment and technology development.
Published by the Global Center on AI Governance (GIRAI), an independent research and policy institute based in Cape Town, the index evaluates 135 countries across five key pillars: inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and the use of AI in public services.
The report highlights growing global efforts to establish governance structures capable of keeping pace with rapid advances in artificial intelligence. It notes that worldwide corporate investment in AI has surged significantly in recent years, while the adoption of generative AI technologies continues to accelerate across industries.
Despite this rapid expansion, the report found that responsible AI governance remains underdeveloped globally, with countries recording an average score of only 35 out of 100. It also observed that although many nations have introduced responsible AI frameworks, implementation remains inconsistent, particularly across developing economies.
Nigeria’s improved ranking reflects a series of government initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s AI ecosystem.
According to the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the government has accelerated implementation of its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), expanded digital public infrastructure, invested in digital skills development, introduced governance frameworks for emerging technologies and strengthened international partnerships to promote the responsible adoption of AI.
Commenting on the achievement, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, described the recognition as evidence of Nigeria’s deliberate efforts to build an inclusive and responsible AI ecosystem aligned with national development priorities.
He said the government’s objective extends beyond adopting artificial intelligence technologies to ensuring that Africa plays a meaningful role in shaping global AI governance while creating the infrastructure, talent and policy environment required to support innovation and economic growth.
Beyond the overall rankings, the report identified Nigeria as a global “Bright Spot” for combining AI skills development with safeguards designed to protect children and other vulnerable groups.
According to the index, Nigeria is among the few African countries pursuing AI adoption while simultaneously strengthening digital rights protections and preparing citizens for an AI-driven economy.
The report highlighted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for promoting AI literacy, teacher training and nationwide capacity-building programmes.
It also recognised the Federal Government’s flagship 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative for expanding access to structured artificial intelligence and machine learning training through a hybrid learning model targeting young Nigerians across the country.
On the regulatory front, the report cited the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025 as important milestones in strengthening privacy protections, particularly for children. The frameworks introduce enhanced safeguards, including parental consent requirements and restrictions on automated decision-making involving minors.
According to GIRAI, these policy measures demonstrate that governments can advance AI innovation while protecting citizens’ rights and promoting responsible technology deployment.
Nigeria’s latest recognition builds on its improving performance in other international AI assessments. Earlier this year, the country moved up 31 places in the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index, reflecting progress in institutional capacity, digital governance and policy readiness for artificial intelligence adoption.
The GIRAI report also points to broader progress across developing economies, noting that countries in the Global South have significantly expanded the scope of responsible AI issues covered within national policy frameworks since the index was first introduced. However, it cautions that many of these frameworks remain non-binding, underscoring the need to translate policy commitments into effective implementation and regulatory enforcement.
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