Nigeria has been ranked Africa’s leading country for responsible artificial intelligence governance in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), climbing 42 places to rank 38th globally among 135 countries.
The assessment highlights Nigeria’s significant progress in building an inclusive and ethical AI ecosystem, recognising advances in AI governance, digital skills development, data protection and responsible technology adoption. The country achieved an overall score of 45.93, well above the African regional average, with strong performances in trust and safety, inclusion and diversity, and ethics and sustainability.
The report attributes Nigeria’s progress to initiatives such as the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and the implementation of stronger data protection frameworks. It also recognised the country’s efforts to balance AI innovation with safeguards for vulnerable groups, particularly children.
The ranking reinforces Nigeria’s growing influence in global AI governance and reflects its ambition to position itself as a leading destination for AI innovation, investment and responsible technology development across Africa.
