Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance, yet the country still has significant work to do in translating policy into widespread AI deployment across businesses, public services and critical sectors of the economy.
According to the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), Nigeria ranks 38th globally out of 135 countries with an overall score of 45.93, making it the continent’s top performer.
The ranking places Nigeria above the African average and ahead of 72 percent of countries assessed, which reflects progress in AI policy development, government initiatives and institutional capacity.
The report credits Nigeria with documented progress in AI governance through initiatives such as the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, investments in digital skills and growing civil society participation in AI discussions.
However, the Index also cautions that having policies in place does not automatically translate into effective safeguards or widespread deployment of responsible AI systems.
