Nigeria has been named Africa’s highest-performing country in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), securing 38th position worldwide with an overall score of 45.93. The latest assessment also recognises Nigeria among a select group of global “Bright Spots” for advancing artificial intelligence skills while strengthening legal safeguards designed to protect citizens from AI-related risks.
The Global Index on Responsible AI, published by the Global Center on AI Governance, evaluates 138 countries across five pillars covering inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and the use of AI in public services. The rankings measure how governments are balancing innovation with governance as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into economies and public institutions.
Nigeria’s performance was driven by policies that combine AI capacity building with enforceable regulatory protections, according to Brandspur Banking News Desk. Rather than focusing exclusively on technology adoption, the country has expanded digital skills programmes while introducing legal and institutional frameworks aimed at responsible AI deployment.
A major contributor to the ranking is Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025, which outlines plans to improve AI literacy across government, education and industry while supporting nationwide skills development. The strategy also promotes teacher training and wider capacity-building initiatives to prepare the workforce for an AI-driven economy.
The report also highlights the Federal Government’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme as an important initiative supporting digital skills development across different demographics. In addition to expanding technical expertise, the programme operates within Nigeria’s broader data protection framework, reinforcing safeguards around the responsible use of digital technologies.
Nigeria’s legal framework for protecting children’s personal information also received recognition in the assessment. Existing data protection laws require parental or guardian consent before children’s personal data can be processed and place restrictions on fully automated decision-making involving individuals. Additional safeguards established under the General Application and Implementation Directive strengthen protections for minors and other vulnerable data subjects.
According to the report, Nigeria’s approach demonstrates that countries can simultaneously expand AI capabilities while embedding legal protections into their digital ecosystems. The assessment identifies the country as an example of how governments can pursue technological advancement without overlooking governance, privacy and public trust.
Globally, the report notes that although more countries are adopting artificial intelligence strategies, legally binding AI regulations remain limited. It warns that emerging risks such as algorithmic bias, misinformation, deepfakes, privacy concerns and automated decision-making continue to develop faster than regulatory responses in many jurisdictions.
Nigeria was also listed among five African countries that introduced new AI safety and security frameworks between the first and second editions of the index, alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Libya and Morocco. The development reflects increasing efforts across parts of the continent to establish governance structures capable of supporting responsible AI adoption.
The latest recognition comes as Nigeria continues to accelerate its digital transformation agenda through investments in artificial intelligence, technology skills and regulatory reforms. Recent industry research has also pointed to rising AI adoption among Nigerian businesses, students and entrepreneurs, reinforcing the country’s growing role in Africa’s digital economy.
