Nigeria and the age of AI: A sign of worry or optimism?

Introduction

?It is without doubt that Tech start-ups have led in the advancement of technological innovations particularly in the area of fintech. This alone has given Nigeria a good opportunity leverage in adoption of AI. However this has not been the case nevertheless few government agencies are going automated yet the acceptability of AI remains a mirage. In this age of AI, countries like Nigeria should be both worried and optimistic about AI. On the one hand, AI possesses the vast potential to revolutionize many aspects of Nigerian society, including healthcare, agriculture, education, and transportation. For example, AI-powered healthcare systems can help improve the accuracy and speed of disease diagnosis, smart campuses are revolutionizing the education sector while AI-powered agricultural systems can help increase crop yields and improve food security thereby increasing revenue generation through exports.

On the other hand, there are also concerns about the impact of AI on jobs and the economy. As AI technology advances, it may replace human workers in certain industries, leading to job losses and economic disruption. What socio-economic situation does this create and the impact on unemployment at a time when unemployment is at an all-time high? Will the possibility of loss of jobs lead to public rejection of AI in Nigeria especially as the literacy level in tech is low due to absence of rural sensitization and mainstream technological awareness for majority of the Nigerian populace. The material and socio-economic contexts  that exist in Nigeria a country in the Global South mean that we are not very critical of technology. As a result, AI and its impact are trivialized. The social and technical processes that have created it and the social, economic and political ones that have/and will deeply embed it as part of our lives deserves critical consideration. We need to be wary of the profit-driven angles driving AI startups and investments that seek to quantify and datafy us at the risk of our democracy and human dignity.

To counter the threats and harms posed by AI government must ensure measures are already in place in line with international best practices in the adoption and use of AI systems to ensure that AI systems are reliable, ethical, explainable and human right friendly. The conversation on this must not be led by technologists and corporate interests. Examining the impact of AI and recommendations for regulated AI requires multidisciplinary analysis from various viewpoints. AI surveillance, for instance, in Nigeria could worsen ethnic and gender tensions as well as police brutality against young people and sexual minorities.

What about the influence of Big Tech social media algorithms which have suppressed and removed eyewitness video evidence during protests in Nigeria? The nation wide End SARS campaign brings memories of how clear evidence of human rights violations and killings were hidden away from public scrutiny. Visa processing algorithms which discriminate against Nigerians and other African migrants? Additionally, there are concerns about bias and fairness in AI systems, as well as the potential misuse of AI for malicious purposes. Social media algorithms which promote divisive content that pit groups against themselves for engagement purposes? Demeaning data collection practices by fintechs that assess selfies, browser history, and call history to determine if economically marginalised persons are credit-worthy and that publicly shame them in the event of a default? AI systems in the healthcare industry which access patient health history and health challenges thereby prying in their privacy.

And what about the outsized impact on those who are digitally excluded in a country with some of the more expensive internet bundles? Internet accessibility has become a bane for most Nigerians who are subjected to high rate of data subscription by telecom and data providers. Perhaps most pressing is the impact on truth and believability of AI enabled systems. It seems we?re barely recovering from a presidential election cycle that was fraught with AI-manipulated media and ethnic discrimination and violence. How do we build a more resilient and media-literate public and press that are able to identify misinformation campaigns? How do we keep AI generated contents through deepfakes at bay from public consumption? How do we regulate the use of such data and information from being hijacked for political and ethnic gains.

I think we need to reflect some more on these important questions and carefully consider the issues at stake to be able to build our envisioned future with AI for Nigeria. If AI usage must thrive in Nigeria these questions and potential roadblocks to AI must be answered as well as laying a fertile ground for its acceptance, development and deployment.

Nigerian Universities must adopt the use of AI enabled learning platforms as well as embrace use of AI systems in education delivery. They must co-lead the race for AI acceptance by creating special AI enabled Departments and Faculties while at same time establishing research units to learn from developed first world and AI friendly countries and its academic institutions. The old-fashioned learning model of repetitive knowledge must be ditched and research in AI and emerging tech encouraged.

Nigeria?s lack of technical and technological advancement can affect the adoption of AI in several ways. One of the main challenges is the limited availability of infrastructure and resources needed to support AI research and development. This includes access to high-performance computing systems, data storage facilities, and skilled AI professionals. Another challenge is the limited availability of high-quality data, which is essential for training and testing AI algorithms. Nigeria may not have enough data sources or the necessary data infrastructure to support the development of AI models in certain industries.

Moreover, the lack of technical and technological advancement can also result in a shortage of skilled professionals with the necessary expertise to develop and implement AI solutions. This can hinder the adoption of AI, as there may not be enough trained individuals to drive AI innovation and deployment in Nigeria. However, there are also opportunities for Nigeria to leverage its strengths and address these challenges. For example, Nigeria has a large and growing population, which can serve as a source of data for AI systems. Additionally, Nigeria has a strong entrepreneurial culture, which can support the development of AI startups and encourage innovation in this area.

Therefore, it is important for Nigeria to develop a strategic approach to AI that maximizes its benefits while minimizing its risks. This may involve investing in AI research and development, promoting the ethical use of AI, and creating policies and regulations that address the potential impact of AI on jobs and the economy. By taking a proactive approach to AI, Nigeria can position itself to reap the benefits of this transformative technology while also addressing its potential challenges. The recent development of a National AI Strategy by the Nigerian Ministry of technology and Digital Economy is a positive step in the right direction.

To overcome these challenges, Nigeria needs to invest in AI education and training, foster partnerships between academic and industry institutions, and create a supportive policy environment that encourages AI adoption and innovation. By doing so, Nigeria can begin to harness the power of AI and accelerate its development and deployment across different sectors of the economy.

Conclusion

Nigeria must utilize its blessed and highly cerebral young enterprising population to create sustainable pathways in technology and AI. The government has a major role to play in bridging the digital literacy gap. Massive AI education programs are needed to boost AI awareness as well as align its high population to contemporary trends in the technology sector. AI adoption must begin to ease the fears of the people about AI as well as adopt a multi stakeholder approach by ensuring the participation of private organizations, civil societies and experts in developing AI for diverse fields.