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Nigeria has emerged as the highest-ranked African country in the second edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), placing 38th globally and first on the continent.
The latest rankings showed that Nigeria scored 45.93 points, a remarkable improvement from the inaugural 2024 edition of the index, where it ranked 80th globally with a score of 7.21, representing a 42-place jump in two years. Egypt came second among the African countries assessed.
Published by the Global Center on AI Governance, the Global Index on Responsible AI is regarded as one of the world’s most comprehensive evidence-based assessments of responsible AI governance. It evaluates countries across five pillars, including inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and AI use in public service.
The report attributed Nigeria’s improved performance to deliberate efforts by the federal government to strengthen digital infrastructure, develop a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), invest in digital skills, establish governance frameworks for emerging technologies, and deepen international partnerships.
Commenting on the achievement, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the recognition reflected Nigeria’s commitment to building an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, responsible and aligned with national development priorities.
“This recognition is a testament to Nigeria’s deliberate efforts to build an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, responsible, and aligned with our development priorities. We believe that Africa must not only participate in the AI revolution but also contribute meaningfully to shaping how these technologies are governed and deployed globally,” he said.
According to the minister, the government’s focus remains on creating the infrastructure, talent and policy environment needed for AI to deliver tangible benefits for Nigerians while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
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Beyond the rankings, the report recognised Nigeria as a global “Bright Spot” for promoting AI literacy while strengthening digital protections for children. It noted that Nigeria is among the few African countries implementing measures to bridge AI skills development with safeguards against the potential risks of emerging technologies, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups.
The report highlighted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which promotes AI literacy across all segments of society and provides for extensive AI skills development through teacher training and capacity-building initiatives.
It also commended the Federal Government’s flagship 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme for providing structured training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through a hybrid learning model designed to reach young Nigerians nationwide.
In addition, the index acknowledged Nigeria’s legal and regulatory frameworks for children’s data protection, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025, which strengthen safeguards for children’s personal data and prohibit decisions based solely on automated processing.
The latest recognition adds to the country’s growing profile in global AI development. Earlier this year, the country climbed 31 places in the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index, moving from 103rd to 72nd globally, reflecting improvements in AI policy capacity and readiness.
The report said the country’s latest performance reinforces its emergence as one of Africa’s leading destinations for responsible AI development and governance, driven by sustained investments in digital infrastructure, talent development, innovation and ethical AI adoption.
