Lagos, Jan.20, 2026(NAN) The National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) said sustained policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement, not premature regulation, are vital for Nigeria’s responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.
The Director-General, Dr Olushola Odusanya, said any future AI law should evolve from existing national policies and international best practices.
Odusanya said the current AI policy has undergone several iterations and is expected to transition into law and practical implementation over time.
According to him, no country has fully mastered artificial intelligence due to its rapidly evolving nature, making continuous dialogue essential.
He warned that imposing rigid regulations without adequate understanding could hinder Nigeria’s participation in the global data-driven economy.
Odusanya said AI should be viewed like computers and calculators, which initially faced resistance but later became essential learning and productivity tools.
“Encouraging AI fluency will help Nigerians see the technology as an enabler rather than a threat, especially in education,” he said.
He said Nigeria’s first major AI intervention was a NACETEM-led policy dialogue that convened stakeholders to discuss responsible and beneficial AI use.
According to him, the initiative focused on understanding the technology rather than regulating it outright.
He said the dialogue laid the foundation for later initiatives, including a prompt engineering forum and the establishment of an AI ecosystem.
Odusanya said the ecosystem operates on a subscription model, linking users to global innovation networks while addressing AI-related challenges.
He added that although globally connected, Nigerian users’ data remain domiciled in Nigeria in compliance with existing laws.
He described this as a practical outcome of earlier policy engagements.
The expert said artificial intelligence is central to future global growth.
He urged Nigeria to sustain regular policy dialogues to generate original knowledge and remain competitive in the evolving global AI landscape. (NAN)
