Artificial Intelligence, Law, and Society: Towards a Sustainable Governance Framework in Nigeria

Artificial intelligence, per se, is rapidly revolutionizing the sectors of Nigeria; one of them is finance, while others include healthcare and education, as well as governance. Integrated with a whole lot of advantages that AI can provide; however, it also poses legal, socio-economic challenges, ranging from issues of data privacy and ethics to regulatory gaps and employment threats. The legal regime that governs AI in Nigeria is still emerging, making it ambiguous in cases of liability concerning decisions coming from AI and intellectual property with respect to content generated through the use of AI. This research addresses the legal and socio-economic scope of AI in Nigeria, focusing mainly on the regulatory deficiencies and their effect on economic growth, employment, and even data protection. The research intends to evaluate the existing laws to assess their adequacy and propose legal or policy reforms for responsible AI governance. It employs a qualitative research methodology to analyze statutory provisions, judicial precedents, policy documents, and comparative legal frameworks from other jurisdictions. Some key findings include certain inconsistencies within the existing regulatory landscape of AI in Nigeria, a shortage of directions regarding the ethical conduct of the use of AI, and worries regarding job losses due to automation. Based on these findings, Nigeria will have to do much in formulating comprehensive legislation and policies regarding AI technology, including socio-economic equity and ethical use of such technologies to achieve sustainable growth in the economy.