National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS)

This is a national policy strategy, not enacted legislation; references to it being "enacted" should be read as "published/adopted." Nigeria's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) is the country's first comprehensive AI policy document. A draft was published on 2 August 2024 by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), an arm of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE); a finalised, updated version was released in September 2025. The strategy was co-created through a participatory process involving Nigerian AI researchers in the diaspora and domestic stakeholders. It has no binding legal force: it is an aspirational roadmap intended to guide investment, institutional design and, eventually, regulation, rather than a statute imposing obligations on AI developers or deployers. The stated vision is to position Nigeria as a globally competitive AI nation that uses AI to drive economic prosperity and inclusive social development. The document is organised around five strategic pillars: building foundational AI infrastructure (compute, data, connectivity); developing the AI ecosystem and talent base; accelerating AI adoption across priority sectors; ensuring responsible, ethical and safe AI; and establishing AI governance and coordination structures. Priority sectors highlighted include agriculture, healthcare, education, financial services and public administration. The strategy proposes institutional mechanisms to coordinate implementation, an implementation roadmap with KPIs, pilot projects, and a framework for responsible AI aligned with Nigeria's data protection regime. It explicitly anticipates the development of subsequent governance instruments, including potential AI-specific regulation and sector guidance, and cross-references the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as the existing legal backbone for data governance underpinning AI systems. Readers should treat this document as a statement of government intent and a planning framework: it signals direction and priorities but does not, by itself, create enforceable rights or duties. Implementation depends on follow-up action by NITDA, FMCIDE and other agencies.

1. 1Articulates a vision to make Nigeria a globally competitive AI nation driving economic and inclusive social development.
2. 2Structured around five strategic pillars: AI infrastructure; ecosystem and talent development; sectoral AI adoption; responsible and ethical AI; and AI governance.
3. 3Identifies agriculture, healthcare, education, financial services and public administration as priority deployment sectors.
4. 4Proposes coordination and governance structures to oversee implementation, with KPIs, pilot projects and an implementation roadmap.
5. 5Commits to a responsible-AI framework addressing ethics, safety and accountability.
6. 6Anticipates follow-up governance instruments, including potential AI-specific regulation.
7. 7Cross-references the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as the data-governance foundation for AI systems.