President Bola Tinubu has advocated the responsible use of artificial intelligence to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and economic productivity in Nigeria and across Africa.

Representing President Tinubu at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who led Nigeria’s delegation, stressed that emerging technologies can be used either as tools of progress or for destructive purposes.

Mr Shettima pointed out that the AI sector can drive development across healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and economic productivity, adding that Nigeria and Africa should not surrender their technological future to paranoia.

“We refuse to surrender our technological future to paranoia. An invention can be destructive or beneficial, depending on the purposes it serves and the judgement of those who use it. A knife can take a life in the hands of an assailant and save one in the hands of a surgeon.

“We can deploy artificial intelligence to wage war or use it to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity. Much of the anxiety surrounding AI reflects the distrust we have allowed to grow among us,” he said.

Mr Shettima added that Nigeria is building technology infrastructure to support its young population, who are already involved in technology and innovation rather than using it for warfare, harm, or other destructive purposes.

“Nigeria is investing in digital public infrastructure, broadband connectivity, innovation ecosystems, research institutions and technology entrepreneurship. We invite the world to work with our inventive, resourceful and enterprising young people to direct AI towards humanity’s advancement rather than its destruction,” Mr Shettima said.