AI in Nigeria, the nation’s leading force in artificial intelligence advocacy and development, today announced the third edition of its flagship annual conference, InnovateAI. The 2026 conference will be a defining moment in the country’s technological evolution, with the theme: “Responsible AI beyond Innovation.”

Building on the successes of its previous editions, InnovateAI 2026 is poised to shape the national conversation on the critical issues of ethics, security, and governance in artificial intelligence. The inaugural InnovateAI 2024, themed “Adapting AI for Nigeria,” successfully catalysed policy discussions and attracted over 4,000 physical attendees, including AI Innovators, Academia, Researchers and Policy Makers engaging in public and private sector discourse on AI.

The recently concluded 2025 conference, themed “Scaling AI Adoption in Nigeria,” expanded the event’s reach to over 6,000 physical participants, with live-streaming to twelve AI in Nigeria’s community hubs in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The conference addressed systemic challenges to scaling AI – talent, data, and compute infrastructure.

The 2026 edition represents a crucial strategic evolution. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into daily life, this conference will shift its focus from adoption to a deep dive into the foundational principles necessary for sustainable and trustworthy growth.

In addition to showcasing responsible AI innovations across industries, the conference will feature a series of focused sessions to explore these vital topics:

• AI Governance in Africa: Establishing a framework for a trusted future.
• Deepfakes, Fraud & Security Risks: Protecting Nigeria’s Digital Society from Emerging Threats.
• AI & Financial Services: Building trust in the fight against fraud and ensuring secure transactions.
• Digital Literacy for All: Preparing citizens for the age of AI through education and empowerment.
• Responsible AI Innovation: Balancing safety and growth to support Africa’s burgeoning startup scene.

“AI is reshaping industries, economies, and societies at an unprecedented pace, but innovation without trust and governance risks leaving people behind. InnovateAI 2026 is a platform to ensure Africa defines its own AI future—one where ethics, inclusivity, and safety guide progress,” said Ehia Erhaboh, Co-Convener, AI in Nigeria.

InnovateAI 2026 is poised to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts, and the public to forge a path forward that ensures AI serves as a force for good, fostering inclusive opportunities, improving healthcare, and enabling smarter governance.

Organizations looking to shape Africa’s AI future are invited to become a partner or sponsor for InnovateAI 2026. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the responsible AI movement, gain targeted visibility among key stakeholders, industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and investors – positioning themselves at the forefront of Africa’s responsible AI movement. Your support will directly contribute to a vital national dialogue on AI governance and digital literacy, helping to create a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous future for Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“This is not just a conference, it’s a catalyst for shaping Africa’s digital future,” said Dotun Adeoye, Co-Convener, AI in Nigeria. “Our partners’ support is essential in building a more equitable, secure, and prosperous AI ecosystem for Nigeria and beyond.”

Experts have said that the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence, which is transforming operational models and governance structures, has prompted the need for multi-stakeholder engagement to define principles and minimum standards for AI governance across corporate and public institutions.

The stakeholders will include government, regulators, the private sector, civil society, and academia.

The governance experts believe that introduction of principles and standards for AI adoption would assist to mitigate the risks associated with the new technology while enhancing its benefits

The experts spoke at 49th Annual Conference of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) recently on “Reimagining Governance: Navigating the Artificial Intelligence Revolution for Excellence”.

Leading the discussion, Femi Oyenuga, Group Executive Director, Chams Holding Company said mitigating the risks associated with AI requires institutional design choices, laws, standards, and professional norms that are proportional and adaptable.

He advised large corporates and regulated entities to conduct AI Impact Assessments (AIIAs ) prior to deployment, and make high-level summaries available to relevant regulators and stakeholders.

Oyenuga also advised boards to adopt explicit responsibilities for AI oversight, including appointment of a responsible executive and periodic independent algorithmic audits.

He encouraged for the establishment of ICSAN Centre for Digital Governance which should be a specialist unit to provide training, advisory services, and a repository of tools (impact assessment templates, algorithmic registers, procurement checklists).

According to him, AI revolution compels a recalibration of roles, rules, and capacities for governance professionals whose mandate is to safeguard integrity, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility. He said this recalibration is pressing for Nigeria.

Senator Udo Udoma, who was chairman of the occasion agreed that there are benefits of AI but said professionals should also consider ways of minimizing the risks associated with the technology.

Udoma listed some of the benefits to include; enhanced productivity, the ability to automate routine tasks,real-time decision-making; the ability of decision-makers such as governments, investors, boards, to instantly process, analyze, and receive a vast amount of data, thereby leading to faster and more accurate decision-making.

The risks of AI, he said include technology over-dependence without adequate human oversight, cyber security and data risks, ethical issues and inaccurate decisions that are based on data errors or algorithmic flaws.

Speaking earlier, Uto Ukpanah, President of ICSAN said Nigeria cannot afford to stand aloof from AI revolution.

“As professionals in governance and administration, we have a responsibility to lead the conversation on how AI can be harnessed ethically, responsibly, and effectively to improve our institutions”.

She said ICSAN seeks to ensure that professionals and policymakers do not merely react to AI but proactively shape its application in ways that benefit society.

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has intensified its efforts to transform Nigeria’s education sector by equipping teachers with essential digital skills under its flagship initiative, Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL).

In a significant step toward this goal, the Agency has commenced a two-day physical training programme for teachers drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The Abuja training, which began on September 18, 2025, builds on more than two weeks of intensive virtual sessions that had already reached and empowered 3,600 teachers across the country.

These virtual sessions provided foundational digital knowledge and prepared participants for the more practical, hands-on physical training.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), reflecting a strong synergy among critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector.

Together, these institutions are working to ensure that teachers at both basic and secondary levels gain the capacity to deliver education that is relevant for the digital age.

A central focus of the Abuja session is the empowerment of selected participants as Master Trainers. Through a structured train-the-trainer approach, Master Trainers will cascade the skills they have acquired to thousands of teachers within their respective states and communities, thereby amplifying the overall impact of the initiative and ensuring sustainability.

Beneficiaries of the training have expressed great enthusiasm and appreciation for the opportunity. Tanko Abdulkareem, a participant from Kuje Area Council, described the programme as a transformative experience that had broadened his understanding of digital applications in the classroom.

He noted that the training would enhance his ability to support colleagues and positively influence the learning experience of his students.

Similarly, Muhammad Ademu from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) hailed the initiative as “a timely and life-changing intervention,” pointing out that it would significantly contribute to repositioning education in Nigeria for the realities of the 21st-century digital economy.

For Bamidele Gbenga Samuel, a teacher at Government Secondary School, Gwagwalada, and staff of the FCT Secondary Education Board, the training is equipping teachers with the tools to bridge the digital divide that has long limited effective classroom teaching.

He emphasised that teachers, as the bedrock of learning, must themselves be digitally literate to properly prepare students for future opportunities.

Adding her voice, Miss Veronica Miapie of the FCT Secondary Education Board described digital literacy as no longer optional but a necessity for both teachers and students.

She commended NITDA and its partners for prioritizing the capacity-building of educators, stressing that the long-term benefits would ripple across generations of learners.

Through its Digital Literacy and Capacity Building (DLCB) department, NITDA has consistently demonstrated its commitment to expanding access to digital knowledge in Nigeria.

The DL4ALL initiative, of which this training is a major component, is part of NITDA’s broader mandate to align Nigeria with global trends in technology adoption and prepare citizens for a knowledge-driven economy.