The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, has called on Nigerian business leaders to adopt Artificial Intelligence AI as a strategic partner for innovation and productivity rather than viewing it as a threat to human employment.
Speaking at the BusinessDay CEO Forum Nigeria in Lagos during a panel titled Builders of the New Nigeria - Stories of Scale, Grit, and Innovation, Inuwa challenged conventional perceptions of AI, urging CEOs to view the technology as a thought partner that can generate new ideas, unlock business models, and enhance competitiveness in a fast-changing global economy.
Inuwa said he sees artificial intelligence not just as a tool, but as a thought partner. He explained that while AI can outperform humans in certain tasks, it is not intended to replace people. Rather, it will displace specific skills and processes currently relied on in performing various tasks. He advised business leaders to collaborate with AI by assigning it clear roles such as virtual assistants, legal advisors, or business analysts, to drive more effective and purposeful integration.
However, he cautioned that while AI holds immense potential, it must be used with vigilance. Business leaders, he warned, should not assume AI is always accurate or ethical. Instead, AI should be treated as the worst version of itself until proven otherwise. Inuwa highlighted the need for strong regulatory oversight and explained that NITDA's approach involves collaborating with the private sector to test and co-create solutions through policy labs before rolling out frameworks or regulations.
