Nigeria Ranks First in Africa in 2026 Global Responsible AI Index
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani described the achievement as validation of Nigeria's strategy to build an AI ecosystem that prioritises innovation alongside responsible governance.
Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), climbing 42 places to 38th globally in what the Federal Government says reflects the country’s growing leadership in responsible artificial intelligence governance.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy , Bosun Tijani described the achievement as validation of Nigeria’s strategy to build an AI ecosystem that prioritises innovation alongside responsible governance.
“Nigeria’s emergence as the leading African country in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI is an important affirmation of our belief that Africa must not only participate in the AI revolution but also help shape how these technologies are governed and deployed globally. Nigeria’s rise to first place in Africa and 38th globally reflects the deliberate work being undertaken to build an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, responsible and aligned with the country’s development priorities.
– Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria
The minister also welcomed Nigeria’s recognition as one of the report’s global “Bright Spots” for advancing AI literacy. He attributed the recognition to initiatives including the National AI Strategy (NAIS) and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, which the report highlighted as examples of efforts to expand AI skills and digital capacity.
The 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI evaluates 135 countries and jurisdictions based on how effectively they are building the policies, institutions, governance frameworks and enabling conditions needed to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly. The assessment measures performance across five key pillars: inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and AI use in public services.
The report notes that responsible AI governance is expanding globally but warns that implementation continues to lag. While more governments are adopting AI governance frameworks, the average global score remains about 35 out of 100, with evidence of implementation found in only 55% of cases where frameworks exist, dropping to 45% across Global South countries.
The report also identifies Nigeria as one of the countries helping to shape the next phase of responsible AI governance outside traditional technology hubs. It cites Nigeria among countries building stronger AI governance despite resource constraints, highlighting the country’s efforts to move beyond policy commitments toward practical protections and institutional capacity.
Looking ahead, Tijani said the government would continue investing in digital infrastructure, talent development and governance frameworks to ensure artificial intelligence delivers tangible benefits for Nigerians. He said these investments would support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy powered by innovation, productivity and inclusive growth.
