At a recent conference in Lagos, Dr. Adeyinka Hassan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Enterprise Governance, issued a stark warning: unless African leadership embraces artificial intelligence (AI) seriously and quickly, the continent may well be consigned to the sidelines in the next wave of global progress. Speaking at the 3rd Biennial Corporate Governance and Enterprise Development Conference, he insisted that Nigeria and the rest of Africa are in danger of being left behind if AI is treated merely as a buzzword.
Dr. Hassan spoke with urgency, arguing that global landscapes are shifting dramatically — through AI acceleration, protectionist economic policies, and evolving governance structures. He made it clear: powerful change is underway, and Africa must shift from talking about innovation to executing it. Governance, for him, is no longer about titles or ceremonies but about adaptive intelligence — the kind of intelligence that blends human empathy, technological competence, transparency, and integrity.
Table of Contents
“Leadership Today Means Courage, Wisdom, and Integrity”
During his address, Dr. Hassan urged that true leadership today demands more than authority; it demands courage to adopt new technologies without sacrificing core human values, wisdom to nurture innovation even in the midst of protective economic policies, and integrity to build transparent and inclusive institutions.
He noted, telling statistics to underline just how far advanced global adoption of AI already is. Approximately 78 per cent of companies worldwide have integrated AI into their operations; nearly half are utilising it to extract insights from large datasets. In the telecommunications sector alone, 52 per cent of firms deploy AI-powered chatbots to streamline productivity and customer engagement.
Dr. Hassan also presented startling economic valuations: the global AI market is currently worth over US$391 billion, and forecasts indicate that AI will contribute more than US$3.78 trillion in business value globally in the near future.
“The Digital Divide Could Become an Economic Chasm”
Dr. Hassan warned that Africa risks more than just lagging behind—it could face a widening economic gulf. If the continent delays embracing AI, the existing digital divide will not only persist but deepen, transforming into a barrier so large that catching up could become remarkably difficult.
He did not mince words: in a fast-changing world, postponement is loss. He challenged policymakers, business leaders, and governance institutions to make deliberate, actionable decisions now — decisions that will determine whether Africa becomes a mere spectator to global AI-driven change or becomes an architect of its own future prosperity.
“Now Is the Moment — Action Can’t Wait”
At the gathering, which included stakeholders such as the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), governance scholars, and state government officials, Dr. Hassan emphasised that the moment of opportunity is already here.
He declared, “The time is now. The place is here. The task is ours.” His message hinged on one clear idea: Africa needs to move beyond speeches and symposiums, towards concrete policies, investments, innovation ecosystems, and robust governance frameworks that embed AI responsibly and equitably.
Leaders should craft policies that protect citizens’ rights, ensure data privacy, foster digital literacy, and encourage private-public partnerships in AI research and deployment. Entrepreneurs must seize AI not merely as a tool but as a strategic enabler. And governance institutions should commit to transparency, inclusivity, and bold, forward-looking integrity. Dr. Hassan’s message is resolute: either Africa becomes a creator in the global AI story — or it risks becoming its consumer.
Why This Matters for Nigeria and Africa
The implications of Dr. Hassan’s intervention are far-reaching. For Nigeria, which wrestles with infrastructure deficits, regulatory ambiguity, and human-capital challenges, the stakes are especially high. Failing to take bold steps on AI now could amplify existing inequalities, deepen economic dependencies, and limit national competitiveness. On the other hand, deliberate investment in AI education, ethical frameworks, supportive regulation, and private sector innovation could catalyse leaps in industry, agriculture, health, governance and more.
In essence, Dr. Hassan is sounding an alarm: Africa’s future is not set; it is being shaped now. If leaders, institutions, and entrepreneurs seize AI as a foundational technology — with courage, wisdom, and integrity — then the continent stands poised to define its role in the next global chapter. If they hesitate, the consequences could echo for generations.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
