Norman Bwuruk Didam on AI Governance and the Future of AI in Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Mission: “To enable African innovators, business leaders, and policymakers to design and deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems that create measurable value, preserve trust, and safeguard society.”

AI expert and strategist Norman Bwuruk Didam has become one of the most articulate voices in the conversation around AI governance in Africa. Known for blending practical strategy with ethical insight, Norman argues that Nigeria stands at a defining crossroads: it can either let AI widen its social divides or use governance to turn technology into an equalizer. This in-depth feature explores his vision — the good, the bad, and the ugly — and his blueprint for a responsible AI future.

The Good: AI as a Driver of Inclusive Growth

Norman sees immense potential in AI for economic transformation. Nigeria’s growing digital economy — from fintech and e-commerce to agriculture and logistics — provides fertile ground for data-driven innovation. Startups across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are already using AI to automate lending, predict crop yields, and optimize transportation routes.

“AI is democratizing expertise,” Norman says. “It lets small teams achieve what once required multinationals. In Lagos, a developer with access to generative AI can build products for the global market.”

AI in Healthcare and Education

AI models are helping hospitals detect diseases earlier and educators personalize learning. Chatbots built with local languages like Yoruba and Hausa are bridging literacy gaps. Norman believes such local innovation should form the backbone of Nigeria’s AI future — systems trained on Nigerian data for Nigerian needs.

Public Sector Transformation

Governance can itself benefit from AI. Predictive analytics can help manage budgets, monitor public spending, and track corruption. When paired with transparent data policies, AI can rebuild citizen trust. Norman calls this “AI for accountability.”

The Bad: Challenges Threatening AI’s Promise

Despite progress, the Nigerian AI ecosystem faces deep structural risks. Norman categorizes them under three main problems: weak regulation, poor data infrastructure, and limited human capacity.

Lack of Regulatory Clarity

AI is advancing faster than law. Nigeria’s regulatory framework remains fragmented, with agencies like NITDA and the NDPC working independently. “Without coordination,” Norman warns, “AI innovation becomes a patchwork of policies — some outdated, some duplicated, and many unenforced.”

Data Deficits and Dependence

Nigeria’s AI projects often rely on imported datasets that don’t reflect local realities. Models trained on Western data misinterpret local accents, slangs, or demographics. This leads to bias in recruitment, financial scoring, and law enforcement. Norman calls this algorithmic inequality — when global models marginalize African identities.

Skills Gap and Brain Drain

While AI jobs are growing, skilled Nigerian data scientists and engineers often migrate for better opportunities. Norman emphasizes the need for national AI education programs, research incentives, and local career pipelines to retain talent. “AI governance starts with human governance,” he adds.

The Ugly: Ethical Dilemmas and Emerging Risks

In Norman’s words, “The ugly side of AI is not the machine — it’s what humans choose to do with it.” From political manipulation to surveillance misuse, Nigeria’s AI frontier already shows warning signs.

Disinformation and Deepfakes

With the rise of generative AI, misinformation can spread faster than fact-checkers can respond. Deepfake videos and cloned voices pose real threats to Nigeria’s democracy. Norman advocates for a National Digital Integrity Taskforce to counter AI-enabled misinformation and educate citizens on media literacy.

Privacy and Mass Surveillance

Facial recognition and predictive policing tools are appearing in public spaces, often without consent. Norman warns that without clear oversight, such technologies could normalize privacy violations. “AI must serve citizens, not spy on them,” he insists.

Automation and Inequality

Unchecked automation could widen economic inequality. In manufacturing, logistics, and customer service, AI threatens low-skill jobs. Norman calls for “ethical automation” — requiring every AI-driven efficiency gain to include parallel investments in workforce reskilling and education.

Building a Responsible AI Governance Framework

Norman proposes a five-pillar model tailored for Nigeria’s realities — practical enough for businesses, enforceable enough for government, and inclusive enough for society.

1. National AI Policy Integration: Embed AI governance into Nigeria’s long-term development plans such as Vision 2050 and Digital Economy Strategy.
2. Data Sovereignty: Create national data repositories managed under open and ethical access policies.
3. Ethical Compliance: Mandate AI impact assessments for high-risk deployments, similar to environmental reviews.
4. Talent and Education: Establish AI labs in universities and fund interdisciplinary programs combining law, ethics, and engineering.
5. Public Transparency: Require organizations to disclose when users are interacting with AI systems, especially in finance, healthcare, and media.

Norman underscores that Nigeria should not reinvent the wheel but adapt global best practices like the EU AI Act to its own context — one that values inclusion and accountability as much as innovation.

Regional Cooperation and the African AI Future

AI governance doesn’t stop at borders. Norman advocates for a “Pan-African AI Accord” — a shared framework where countries coordinate data standards, ethics principles, and cross-border AI trade. Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, can lead this alignment, just as it did with fintech regulation.

Collaboration with organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS can accelerate this. Norman envisions Lagos as a regional AI governance hub, hosting conferences, sandboxes, and ethics councils.

Optimizing Nigeria’s AI Future: What Success Looks Like

If Nigeria implements these frameworks, Norman predicts measurable benefits within a decade: reduced corruption through anomaly detection, AI-assisted agriculture boosting food security, and data-driven healthcare reducing mortality rates. “AI should not replace people — it should augment them,” he emphasizes.

Economic Impact

With responsible adoption, AI could contribute up to $15 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030. This aligns with global forecasts from PwC and McKinsey that show AI-driven economies outperforming others by 20–30% productivity growth.

Social Impact

Governance ensures that AI benefits rural farmers as much as fintech founders. “Inclusion must be a KPI,” Norman argues. “We must measure not just profits, but participation.”

Call to Action: Shaping the Next Decade

As AI becomes infrastructure — embedded in finance, education, and governance — Norman insists that Nigeria cannot afford a wait-and-see approach. “The next decade will decide whether AI becomes our engine of equity or our instrument of exclusion.”

He calls on government, industry, academia, and citizens to co-create the rules. Governance is not a bureaucratic chore but a social contract. It ensures that as Nigeria automates, it also elevates.

“The future of AI in Nigeria,” Norman concludes, “is not about machines replacing people. It’s about people governing machines with wisdom, fairness, and courage.”