Nigeria’s responsible AI ranking overtakes Egypt and Kenya

Nigeria’s responsible AI ranking overtakes Egypt and Kenya

Quick Reads

• Nigeria now ranks 38th globally on responsible AI, up from 80th just two years ago.
• The country overtook Egypt and Kenya to become Africa’s highest-ranked nation on the index.
• GIRAI singled out Nigeria as a “Bright Spot” for pairing AI skills training with child safeguards.
• The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Nigeria Data Protection Act drove much of the gain.
• Global governance capacity still lags adoption, with average GIRAI scores sitting near 35 out of 100.

Nigeria’s responsible AI ranking has climbed further and faster than any other African nation tracked by the index. The country rose from 80th globally in 2024 to 38th this year, surpassing Egypt and Kenya. The score, 45.93 out of 100, comes from the Global Index on Responsible AI, one of the most detailed assessments of how governments manage AI risks and opportunities.

Published by the Cape Town-based Global Center on AI Governance, the index assesses 135 countries across five pillars. The 2026 report calls Nigeria a global “Bright Spot” for balancing AI skills with safeguards. Few African countries have matched AI workforce preparation with stronger protections against AI risks. The report credits Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for closing that gap.

Communications minister Bosun Tijani framed the ranking as proof of deliberate policy work rather than luck. He said the recognition reflects Nigeria’s efforts to build an AI ecosystem that stays inclusive, responsible, and aligned with development priorities. The Nigeria Data Protection Act and its 2025 implementation directive also earned recognition for introducing parental consent rules and limits on fully automated decisions affecting children.

The improvement fits a broader pattern of momentum. Nigeria climbed 31 places in January’s Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index, moving from 103rd to 72nd worldwide, and the country’s flagship 3 Million Technical Talent programme continues delivering structured AI training nationwide. Even so, the global picture remains uneven. The report found that global corporate AI investment nearly tripled from about $200 billion in 2023 to $581.7 billion in 2025, while public governance capacity has struggled to keep pace, with average GIRAI scores hovering near 35 out of 100 worldwide. Nigeria’s rise, then, marks progress against a backdrop where most countries are still catching up to their own AI ambitions.