At the Nigeria Fintech Week 2024, experts and stakeholders urged Africa to become intricately involved in formulating AI governance, ensuring the continent is not left behind in the global discourse to regulate and innovate while asserting its voice in the international dialogue on AI regulations.
Artificial intelligence is advancing across the globe, and Africa cannot afford to remain silent on regulation. This was stressed during a panel session titled “Global Al Regulation: The Role of Africa and the Global South,” moderated by Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Interswitch.
Oremeyi Akah opened the discussion, stating that “The global conversation has largely focused on AI and its development, but we believe it’s time for Africa and the global South to take its place at the table and begin to drive conversations that focus on our own local context and reality. I’m a big fan of Africa, and I believe that Africa has huge potential. However, Africans cannot afford to stay silent at this time of such relevant and edge-cutting technologies.
“Africa is home to the highest concentration of workforce now and projected into the future. So definitely, we cannot just sit, however technology goes; we must be relevantly driving and participating in the conversation.”
Bola Adesina, Director at Bola Adesina Consulting, further reiterated the need for African nations to take part in global discussions. “For me, this is the first time I can say we’re all starting from the same point. In the West, they have the funds and resources, but I believe now is an amazing time in Africa’s history to actually make itself known and create functional discussions around AI,” she said.
Adesina pointed out that Africa has been excluded from important discussions about AI governance. “While the concept of AI has advanced, research from Africa has largely been overlooked. We need to prioritize the voices of minorities and establish regulations not just from governments but also from institutions and the international community. We are here, and we must be included in these conversations.”
Laylaa Okike, Chief Commercial Officer for Africa at Traderoot, also addressed the importance of inclusivity in AI regulations. “What comes to mind is the need for inclusivity in our considerations,” she said. “Given our context and diverse experiences, I believe we should focus on three key aspects including diverse representation, cultural context, as well as access and equity. If we approach it this way, we can discuss global adoption in a similar manner.”
Adetoyese Adedokun, Director at Maycode, added another perspective, noting the unique opportunity for Africa to establish its own AI regulations. “We must recognize that while there are elements that can be beneficial in existing solutions, we also have the chance to create African-centric opportunities. This can be costly, but it brings huge opportunities for businesses,” he explained.
Ikem Isiekwena, Managing Partner at SimmonsCooper Partners, provided historical context by referencing a past Congress to illustrate the ongoing challenges in the regulatory sector. “The concept that the Global North has a complete understanding of AI is not necessarily accurate. They are still learning because AI requires huge amounts of data,” he explained.
“Consider the energy resources needed to power AI and the massive data centres where this processing takes place. We are discussing the importance of energy efficiency in this context.”
The panellists stressed the urgent need for collaboration among African nations to create a unified regulatory framework.
Africa has an unignorable role to play in the global AI conversation, particularly as the continent thrives to overcome the challenges and opportunities presented by this technology.
“The continent must participate in shaping the future of AI governance to ensure that its unique context and local needs are integrated into the global discourse.”