As AI adoption accelerates across Nigeria, leaders at the “AI in Action Now” conference 2026 have called for a balance between rapid innovation and strict regulatory governance. The event, held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, highlighted both the doggedness of Nigerian builders and the risks of unregulated data usage.

Dotun Adeoye, Co-Founder of AI Nigeria, raised alarms over “Shadow AI”, a trend where employees upload sensitive official documents to public AI platforms. He praised the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for its recent aggressive stance, including multi-million-dollar fines against major banks and social media brands.

“Innovation without governance is dangerous. The regulator now has the job of educating players. We are working in partnership with them to ensure players don’t just get fined, but actually understand how to protect data locally rather than storing it abroad, ” Adeoye noted.

Addressing issues of lack of infrastructure to carry AI adoption, Conference Convener Debola Ibiyode admitted that while Nigeria lacks the traditional foundation for AI adoption, the tech community cannot afford to wait.

“The simple answer is we don’t have the infrastructure, but Nigeria has never really had infrastructure to drive anything, and we still thrive, ” Iboyode said, encouraging students and builders to look beyond current limitations. “Once we start to build based on what we have now, it will encourage those who need to provide the infrastructure to do their part. The world will not wait for us,” she insisted.

To bridge this gap, she highlighted the AI Foundry Africa, an incubator designed to mentor ideas into market-ready products.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Biodun Ogunleye, the Lagos State Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, echoed the sentiment that the government’s role is to facilitate the right environment through partnership. He emphasized that data generated from interactions with the government must have long-term value.

“We must ensure that in all facets from production to interaction with government, the tools required to ensure data has value are appreciated,” Ogunleye stated.

He concluded that through private-sector collaboration, the government can focus on its primary functions while leveraging AI to ensure the nation aspires for the future.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive digital development following the completion of a two-day digital literacy training for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Abuja.

The programme, organised under NITDA’s Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, the programme trained 50 participants in practical digital skills to enhance their participation in Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.

In his remarks, the Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, stated that the programme reflects the agency’s determination to ensure accessibility remains a core component of national digital transformation efforts.

He explained that genuine digital advancement cannot be realised without the inclusion of persons with disabilities, adding that millions of Nigerians remain constrained by limited access to accessible and inclusive digital platforms.

“In many cases, the problem is not the absence of digital tools but the lack of accessibility. Platforms that do not support assistive technologies, non-captioned content and inaccessible websites effectively shut people out and limit opportunities,” he added.

Inuwa further explained that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusivity as a driver of national development. He stressed that persons with disabilities should be recognised as active contributors to economic growth rather than dependants.

“When equipped with the right skills and technologies, persons with disabilities become innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals who contribute meaningfully across sectors,” he added.

He acknowledged the role of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) and SIMBED in delivering the training, describing the collaboration as a model of how government and civil society partnerships can advance inclusive development.

Highlighting NITDA’s broader digital literacy drive, the Director-General said the DL4ALL programme is a key component of the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, which targets 70 per cent digital literacy by 2027 and 95 per cent by 2030.

He explained that the initiative operates through three main tracks: an informal sector programme that has trained more than 480,000 Nigerians across 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory since September 2024; an education sector programme focused on embedding digital skills into learning institutions; and a workforce readiness programme designed to strengthen digital competence in both public and private sectors.

“This programme is not merely a pilot. It is proof that inclusive and intentional training works, and that persons with disabilities can excel when given equal opportunities,” Inuwa stated.

Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SIMBED, Mr Daniel Onunkwo, described the training as a significant step towards closing the digital inclusion gap for persons with disabilities.

Onunkwo added that the initiative sends a strong message about equity and national progress, adding that SIMBED remains committed to expanding digital empowerment for persons with disabilities.

Similarly, the Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association, Grace Jerry, represented by Tracy Agbamu, commended NITDA for demonstrating intentional leadership in promoting inclusion under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

She urged participants to continue applying the skills acquired and to serve as digital inclusion advocates within their communities.

The training programme further strengthens NITDA’s vision of building a digitally inclusive Nigeria where access to digital opportunities is determined not by physical ability but by empowerment and innovation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will this year become a central pillar of leadership strategy, shaping how organisations plan to grow, compete and reinvent their operating models.

However, the gap between ambition and execution will remain one of the defining challenges of 2026.

This is one of the key findings of Accenture’s latest Pulse of Change report, which shows that global executives’ intent around AI is strong and accelerating.

The study is grounded in a global survey of 8 000 executives and employees, and is designed to measure AI adoption, strategy and workforce impact across industries and regions.

According to the report, across industries, leaders are no longer asking whether AI should be adopted. Instead, they are focused on how AI can be scaled to deliver measurable enterprise value, transform decision-making and unlock new revenue streams.

A total of 86% of surveyed C-suite executives plan to increase their AI investments in 2026, signalling that AI has moved from experimentation to a board-level growth priority, it notes.

Shifting AI priorities

One of the most notable changes highlighted in the report is how executives now view the purpose of AI.

“While early adoption focused heavily on automation and cost reduction, company leaders are increasingly positioning AI as a driver of growth,” it states.

“Nearly eight in 10 surveyed executives believe AI will contribute more to revenue generation than cost savings in the year ahead, reflecting a strategic pivot toward AI-enabled products, services and customer experiences.”

According to the study, daily AI usage among senior leaders has risen sharply, with 38% of surveyed executives now using AI tools every day, compared to 8% at the start of 2024. This signals that AI is no longer delegated solely to technology teams; it is becoming embedded in executive workflows, strategic planning and decision-making processes.

While leadership engagement with AI is deepening, the report suggests that enthusiasm at the top does not automatically translate into impact across the organisation.

Scaling AI remains elusive

Despite growing investment and executive confidence, only 32% of respondents report achieving sustained, enterprise-wide impact from AI. Most companies remain stuck in isolated use cases or pilot programmes that fail to scale meaningfully across business units, the report notes.

“Executives largely believe they have articulated a clear vision for AI-driven change, but employee perceptions tell a different story. Just 18% of workers strongly agree that leadership has communicated a compelling AI vision, and only one in five say they understand how AI will affect their role in the future.

“This disconnect suggests that while executives are planning ambitious AI transformations, those plans are not always translating into clarity or confidence on the ground.”

The result is a growing execution gap: leaders are moving faster in strategy than organisations are moving in practice.

Human-AI collaboration

Despite these challenges, the report reveals a strong foundation for progress. Employees largely recognise the benefits of AI, with 79% stating that AI has positively influenced their ability to learn new skills.

Many also associate AI with increased innovation and problem-solving capacity, indicating that resistance is less about fear of technology and more about lack of involvement in change design.

“However, comfort with advanced AI capabilities remains limited. Only 27% of surveyed employees say they are comfortable delegating tasks to AI agents, and regular AI usage among workers has declined slightly compared to previous months. This points to the need for executives to focus not just on deployment, but on trust, enablement and shared ownership of AI systems.”

For executives planning to scale AI in 2026, the message is clear: value will come from treating AI as a workforce transformation initiative, not just a technology investment, the report asserts.

“In the year ahead, AI success will be defined less by how much organisations spend and more by how effectively executives align people, processes and technology. Those who bridge the gap between executive intent and employee experience will be best positioned to turn AI from a strategic promise into a sustained competitive advantage.”