Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), climbing 42 places in two years to underscore the country’s growing ambition to become a continental leader in artificial intelligence (AI) governance, digital skills development and responsible AI adoption.

The latest edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI, published by the Global Center on AI Governance (GCG), ranks Nigeria 38th globally with an overall score of 45.93, making it the highest-performing African country ahead of Egypt.

The result marks a dramatic improvement from the inaugural 2024 edition, when Nigeria ranked 80th globally with a score of 7.21, reflecting significant progress in the country’s AI policy, governance and institutional capacity.

For Nigeria, the latest ranking signals growing international recognition of efforts to build a responsible AI ecosystem and positions the country not only as a consumer of AI technologies but also as an emerging contributor to global AI governance.

The latest edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI, published by the Global Center on AI Governance (GCG), ranks Nigeria 38th globally with an overall score of 45.93, making it the highest-performing African country ahead of Egypt. The result marks a dramatic improvement from the inaugural 2024 edition, when Nigeria ranked 80th globally with a score of 7.21, reflecting significant progress in the country’s AI policy, governance and institutional capacity.

Index measures responsible AI governance across 135 countries

The GIRAI is regarded as one of the world’s most comprehensive evidence-based assessments of responsible AI governance.

The 2026 edition evaluates 135 countries and jurisdictions using more than 68,000 data points across five pillars:

The index also assesses government policies, public-sector initiatives and civil society efforts aimed at ensuring AI is developed and deployed responsibly.

Nigeria recognised as global AI ‘Bright Spot’

Beyond its overall ranking, the report identifies Nigeria as a global “Bright Spot” for combining AI skills development with safeguards designed to protect children and other vulnerable groups from the risks associated with emerging technologies.

According to the report, Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy places strong emphasis on expanding AI literacy across all stakeholder groups while promoting a comprehensive national AI skills development programme that includes teacher training and broad-based capacity building.

Commenting on the ranking, Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, described the recognition as validation of Nigeria’s deliberate strategy to build an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, responsible and aligned with national development priorities.

“We believe that Africa must not only participate in the AI revolution but also contribute meaningfully to shaping how these technologies are governed and deployed globally. Our focus remains on creating the infrastructure, talent and policy environment that will enable AI to deliver real value for our people,” Tijani said.

Government initiatives drive AI progress

Nigeria’s improved standing reflects the Federal Government’s efforts to establish governance frameworks for emerging technologies through the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy while expanding digital infrastructure and AI capacity-building initiatives.

Among the initiatives highlighted in the report are:

• The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme, which provides AI and machine learning training through a hybrid learning model designed to reach young Nigerians nationwide.

• The Nigeria Data Protection Act, which establishes legal safeguards for personal data.

• The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which provides the country’s roadmap for AI development and governance.

The report also commended Nigeria’s regulatory framework for children’s data protection, citing both the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025 for strengthening safeguards around children’s personal data and restricting decisions based solely on automated processing.

Global AI governance gains momentum

The latest recognition builds on Nigeria’s broader efforts to position itself as a leading AI policy player in Africa through investments in AI infrastructure, research, talent development, responsible governance and international collaboration.

The 2026 GIRAI was released in Geneva alongside the AI for Good Summit and the inaugural UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, where governments, technology companies and international organisations examined frameworks for ensuring AI is developed safely, ethically and inclusively.

The release comes amid growing international attention on balancing rapid AI innovation with effective governance.

Speaking at the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned that AI is advancing faster than regulatory frameworks and called for stronger global safeguards, particularly to protect children, while urging governments to establish governance systems capable of keeping pace with technological change.

Nigeria has also recorded gains in other international AI benchmarks. Earlier this year, the country climbed 31 places in the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index, rising from 103rd to 72nd globally, reflecting continued improvements in AI policy readiness, institutional capacity and digital governance.

The latest GIRAI ranking reinforces Nigeria’s growing profile as one of Africa’s leading voices on responsible AI, highlighting the country’s increasing influence in shaping policies that support the safe, inclusive and ethical development of artificial intelligence.