By Boluwatife Oshadiya | July 9, 2026
Key Points
- Nigeria ranks first in Africa and 38th globally in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), climbing 42 places from its 2024 position
- The country scored 45.93 out of 100, outperforming the African regional average of 21.79 and approximately 72% of the 135 countries assessed
- Nigeria recorded its strongest performance in Trust and Safety, while AI adoption in public service remains its weakest area
Main Story
Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance after securing the continent’s top position and ranking 38th globally in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI).
The report, released in July 2026 by the Global Center on AI Governance, assessed 135 countries and jurisdictions on how effectively they translate responsible AI principles into enforceable policies, institutions, and measurable outcomes. Nigeria recorded an overall score of 45.93 out of 100, a significant improvement from its score of 7.21 and 80th-place ranking in the inaugural 2024 edition.
The 42-place leap positions Nigeria well above the African regional average score of 21.79 and ahead of most lower-middle-income economies assessed in the report.
The GIRAI evaluates countries using more than 68,000 evidence points across 38 indicators, measuring performance in five key pillars: Inclusion and Diversity, Ethics and Sustainability, Labour and Skills, Trust and Safety, and AI Use in Public Service. The assessment also considers national AI policies, civil society participation, legal safeguards, and enabling conditions such as digital infrastructure and the rule of law.
Nigeria’s strongest performance came in Trust and Safety, where it scored 63.45, ranking 29th globally and first in Africa. The country also led the continent in Inclusion and Diversity with a score of 52.06, reflecting progress in gender inclusion, protection against discrimination, and cultural representation.
In Ethics and Sustainability, Nigeria scored 49.63, placing second in Africa, while Labour and Skills received 40.85, supported by investments in AI literacy and digital talent development. However, the country’s weakest performance came in AI Use in Public Service, where it scored 23.65, highlighting gaps in government AI procurement, transparency, public disclosure, and institutional capacity.
The report attributes Nigeria’s rapid improvement to several recent initiatives, including the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) 2025, the Federal Government’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme, the Nigeria Data Protection Act, and broader investments in digital infrastructure under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
The Issues
Nigeria’s rise in the rankings reflects a growing shift from policy formulation to institutional implementation in AI governance. While many developing economies have introduced AI strategies, relatively few have established measurable safeguards around privacy, transparency, ethics, and human rights. Nigeria’s performance suggests increasing alignment between its regulatory framework and international responsible AI standards.
However, the report also highlights important structural challenges. Government adoption of AI remains relatively limited, particularly in procurement transparency, public sector accountability, and disclosure of AI systems used by public institutions. Addressing these gaps will be critical if Nigeria intends to maintain its leadership position as AI adoption accelerates across Africa.
The findings also reinforce the importance of sustained investment in digital infrastructure, workforce reskilling, cybersecurity, and regulatory oversight as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into financial services, healthcare, education, agriculture, and public administration.
What’s Being Said
“Nigeria’s performance demonstrates that responsible AI governance is achievable even in emerging economies when policy, regulation, and implementation are aligned,” the Global Center on AI Governance noted in the 2026 GIRAI report.
The report further describes Nigeria as a regional “bright spot” for AI literacy initiatives, protections for children and vulnerable groups, and the development of governance frameworks supporting responsible AI deployment.
Officials overseeing Nigeria’s digital economy agenda have consistently maintained that initiatives such as the National AI Strategy and the 3MTT Programme are designed to position the country as Africa’s leading AI innovation hub while supporting the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy through technology-driven growth.
What’s Next
- Nigeria is expected to accelerate implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, particularly around AI adoption within government institutions.
- Policymakers are likely to prioritise improvements in public sector AI transparency, procurement standards, and workforce capacity ahead of future GIRAI assessments.
- Continued investment in AI education, digital infrastructure, and international partnerships will be critical as competition among African countries in AI governance intensifies.
Bottom Line
The Bottom Line: Nigeria’s rise to the top of Africa’s responsible AI rankings marks one of the country’s strongest recent performances in digital governance and signals growing international confidence in its AI policy framework. Sustaining that momentum, however, will depend less on new strategies and more on translating existing policies into transparent, accountable, and scalable implementation across the public sector.
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