Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in the latest Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), overtaking Egypt and Kenya after climbing 42 places globally in just two years. Nigeria rose from 80th globally in 2024 to 38th with a score of 45.93.
The ranking comes as African countries race to attract AI investment, with AI projected to contribute about $1.2 trillion to the continent’s economy by 2030, boosting GDP by 5.6%. Nigeria’s top ranking strengthens its appeal as a destination for AI talent, innovation and investment.
Published by the Global Center on AI Governance (GIRAI), a Cape Town-based independent research and policy think tank, the ranking is one of the world’s most comprehensive assessments of responsible AI. It evaluates 135 countries across five pillars: inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and AI use in public services.
Nigeria’s ranking comes as governments globally race to establish governance frameworks that keep pace with rapid advances in artificial intelligence. According to a report from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, an interdisciplinary research institution, global corporate investment in AI almost tripled from about $200 billion in 2023 to $581.7 billion in 2025, while 53% of the world’s population has already used generative AI tools.
