ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NIGERIA: LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR A DEVELOPING DIGITAL STATE

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming governance, economic systems, and regulatory environments across the Global South. Nigeria’s accelerated adoption of AI technologies, driven by digitalisation initiatives and expanding data ecosystems, has created significant legal and ethical challenges that existing regulatory frameworks are not equipped to manage. This article provides a doctrinal, comparative, and practice-oriented analysis of the legal and ethical implications of AI deployment in Nigeria, focusing on data protection, privacy, algorithmic bias, discrimination, among other issues. Using applicable legal frameworks as analytical anchors, the study identifies substantial governance gaps arising from fragmented legislation, weak enforcement capacity, among other challenges, through comparative models. It proposes the enactment of a dedicated AI Governance Act, the establishment of an independent AI regulatory authority, among other recommendations. The study concludes that Nigeria’s AI trajectory must be guided by human-centred, ethical, and future-ready regulatory principles to ensure responsible innovation and sustainable digital development.