The Special Assistant (SA) on Media and Communications to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Isime Esene, stated this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Esene said that Nigeria also ranked 38th globally and first in Africa with an overall index score of 45.93.

“This marks a remarkable improvement from the inaugural 2024 edition of the Index, in which Nigeria ranked 80th globally with a score of 7.21, representing a rise of 42 places in just two years.

“The latest rankings places Nigeria ahead of every other African country assessed, with Egypt ranking second on the continent,” he said.

He said that it underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in shaping the global conversation on the responsible, inclusive, and ethical development of Artificial Intelligence.

According to him, this was also published by the Global Center on AI Governance. The Global Index on Responsible AI is the world’s most comprehensive evidence-based assessment of responsible AI governance.

“The Index evaluates countries across five key dimensions: Inclusion and Diversity; Ethics and Sustainability; Labour and Skills; Trust and Safety; and AI Use in Public Service,” he said.

He noted that the ranking was based on extensive primary research and in-country assessments, adding that the Index measured the effectiveness of government frameworks, actions, and non-state initiatives that support responsible AI ecosystems.

He argued that Nigeria’s improved performance reflected deliberate and strategic efforts by the Federal Government to position the country as an adopter of emerging technologies, adding that it is also a leader in shaping inclusive and ethical AI governance globally.

Esene said under President Bola Tinubu administration, Nigeria had accelerated initiatives to develop a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), strengthen digital public infrastructure, invest in digital talent, establish governance frameworks for emerging technologies, and deepen international partnerships.

“All these will ensure that the benefits of AI are widely shared and responsibly deployed. These efforts have increasingly positioned Nigeria as one of the leading voices from the Global South on the future of AI governance and development.

“The report recognised Nigeria as a global ‘Bright Spot’ for its efforts to advance AI literacy while strengthening protections for children in the digital age,” Esene said.