Stakeholders call for coordinated national execution as Nigerian innovators showcase tools and engage global partners.
Nigeria’s artificial intelligence ecosystem took a deliberate step onto the global stage at the 2026 Global AI Summit in India, where delegates supported by Luminate, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Nigeria AI Collective participated in high-level discussions, exhibitions, and South–South collaboration sessions.
|
|
Beyond the presence of delegates, stakeholders described the summit as a moment of strategic reflection on Nigeria’s AI trajectory, particularly the implementation of the country’s National AI Strategy and the role of coordinated ecosystem building. On Thursday in New Delhi, following the global breakfast meeting hosted by the collective, the Executive Director of the Policy Innovation Centre and the coordinating group of the Nigeria AI Collective, Osasuyi Dirisu, said the summit provided a structured platform for global engagement.
“The Nigeria AI Collective Global meetup was curated to explore opportunities for the global Nigeria AI community to collaborate effectively across borders. The discussions focused on how to leverage Nigerian youthful demographics and the growing innovation ecosystems to catalyse homegrown and locally relevant AI solutions that address our developmental challenges,” she said.
|
|
|
|---|
According to her, the emphasis was on strengthening collaboration across institutions rather than showcasing isolated innovations.
From Participation to Execution
The CEO of Data Science Nigeria, Bayo Adekanmbi, described Nigeria’s presence as a signal of ambition and capacity.
“Nigeria’s active presence at the Global AI Summit in India signals far more than participation; it reflects intention, capability, and ambition. Our innovators did not just showcase solutions at the AI Village or speak on global stages; we came together as a nation, home and diaspora, to reflect on the progress of our National AI Strategy and chart the next phase of execution through the National AI Collective platform.”
He added that sustained collaboration and responsible scaling would determine whether AI delivers socio-economic impact.
“These conversations around global collaboration, responsible scaling, and sustainable impact are critical if Nigeria is to fully harness AI for socio-economic transformation and national competitive advantage,” he said.
Innovation Grounded in Local Realities
The Nigeria AI Collective also maintained a presence at the exhibition grounds, where Nigerian innovators showcased locally built AI tools reflecting efforts to design systems tailored to local contexts.
Nubia AI, one of the showcased platforms, focuses on transforming complex datasets into structured stories and visual insights to improve public understanding and accountability.
DUBAWA AI, another tool presented, converts audio recordings into text while accounting for local languages and tonal variations—addressing persistent gaps in global speech recognition systems operating in African linguistic environments.
An exhibitor at the summit noted that the goal is not replication but relevance.
“The real challenge is not simply building AI models; it is building models that work in our environment. That requires local datasets, contextual understanding, and sustained ecosystem support.”
A Call for National Coordination
While innovation and global visibility were widely acknowledged as positive developments, participants stressed that long-term success would depend on coordinated national effort.
Yetunde Anibaba, a professor at the Lagos Business School, warned against fragmented progress.
“It is once again clear that Nigeria cannot afford to misuse this AI moment. Without a cohesive and systemic approach, we risk becoming known not for meaningful progress, but for fragmented investments.”
She argued that AI must move beyond isolated initiatives.
“It is time for AI to move beyond a sectoral agenda and become a shared national priority—embraced across government, industry, academia, and civil society. The foundation being laid through the Nigerian AI Collective is significant. What is required now is elevation: a whole-of-nation commitment that aligns ambition with coordinated execution.”
What the Summit Signals
Across keynote addresses and panel discussions, themes of responsible scaling, infrastructure investment, governance readiness, and inclusive innovation dominated the summit.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, urged countries to “design and develop in India, deliver to the world, deliver to humanity,” positioning AI as a driver of national competitiveness and global contribution.
The summit also featured addresses by French President Emmanuel Macron, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who called for a $3 billion global fund to support AI capacity-building in developing countries, including skills development, data access, and affordable computing infrastructure.
READ ALSO: NHRC calls for ethical, right-based regulation of Artificial Intelligence
For Nigerian participants, global engagement is only the first step. The more difficult work lies in aligning talent, policy, capital, and institutions at home.
The 2026 Global AI Summit may have taken place thousands of kilometres away, but stakeholders say its implications are domestic. Whether Nigeria becomes a meaningful contributor to global AI evolution will depend less on visibility abroad and more on coordinated execution at home.
