Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and historian Dr. Umar Ardo have cautioned African countries against the uncritical adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), warning that the continent could be exposed to a new form of colonial exploitation if it fails to take ownership of its data, digital infrastructure, and technological resources. They made these remarks at the Ajibosin 3.0 Symposium held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Dr. Ardo, speaking as a guest lecturer, noted that Africa's history of economic exploitation has evolved from the transatlantic slave trade and colonial extraction of natural resources to the export of raw commodities and skilled manpower, with data potentially becoming the next resource through which the continent could lose its wealth. He argued that the emergence of AI could reproduce the same unequal economic relationship, with African data collected while foreign corporations retain control of the infrastructure, technology, and profits.
Ardo identified hardware, AI models, and data as the three major foundations of AI, noting that Africa remains largely dependent on foreign corporations and countries for the critical infrastructure and technologies required to develop advanced AI systems. He questioned who controlled information generated by African farmers, who benefited when indigenous languages and traditional medical knowledge were used to train foreign AI models, and whether African patients would enjoy affordable healthcare solutions developed with their data.
Despite the risks, Ardo acknowledged the enormous development opportunities offered by AI, particularly in areas such as agriculture, primary healthcare, land administration, revenue collection, disaster management, and community development. He advocated for the involvement of traditional institutions in the digital transformation process, citing their valuable local knowledge, historical records, cultural traditions, languages, and social legitimacy.
Ardo called for stronger data protection mechanisms, indigenous technological development, investment in computing infrastructure, and the creation of African-owned datasets and AI models. He acknowledged the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as an important step towards protecting personal information but argued that data privacy alone was insufficient to guarantee data sovereignty and equitable compensation for information used in developing AI systems.
Ardo urged the Federal Government to demonstrate the political will to establish a sustainable domestic technology industry, stressing the need to move beyond assembling imported devices and operating data centres to developing indigenous computing capabilities. He also called for increased investment in energy and computing infrastructure accessible to universities, research institutions, and technology start-ups.
Dr. Ardo's concerns are shared by former President Obasanjo, who also emphasized the need for Africa to take ownership of its technological resources. The symposium provided a platform for stakeholders to examine the implications of AI for Africa's development and the need to deploy the technology to address challenges at the grassroots.
Key points
- Africa risks becoming a supplier of valuable digital resources while foreign corporations retain control of the infrastructure, technology, and profits generated from them.
- The continent's historical experience of exploitation could be replicated in the digital age if African governments fail to establish control over their data and technological capabilities.
- Ardo called for stronger data protection mechanisms, indigenous technological development, and investment in computing infrastructure to mitigate the risks associated with AI adoption.
