https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260824/africas-ai-future-cannot-be-copy-paste-job--nigerian-expert-1088575737.html
Africa’s AI Future Cannot Be Copy-Paste Job — Nigerian Expert
Africa’s AI Future Cannot Be Copy-Paste Job — Nigerian Expert
Sputnik Africa
African governments are racing to regulate artificial intelligence, but importing Europe’s rulebook could stall innovation and deepen data exploitation. This... 24.08.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-08-24T11:28+0200
2026-08-24T11:28+0200
2026-08-24T11:28+0200
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Africa’s AI Future Cannot Be Copy-Paste Job — Nigerian Expert
Sputnik Africa
African governments are racing to regulate artificial intelligence, but importing Europe’s rulebook could stall innovation and deepen data exploitation. This episode explores why homegrown AI governance, rooted in informal economies and pan-African unity, is the only path to true digital sovereignty.
Across Africa, a wave of artificial intelligence legislation is taking shape. Governments are drafting new AI laws—and some of those drafts look strikingly similar to the European Union’s AI Act. However, an increasing number of African experts and proponents of digital rights are posing a more critical question: is copying Brussels truly appropriate for a continent where the informal sector predominates and data is frequently extracted rather than produced locally? Furthermore, how may it be modified to meet the unique requirements of African communities?In this episode of Pan-African Frequency, Adeboye Adegoke, a Nigerian digital rights expert who has led research on technology policy, digital inclusion, and AI governance across the continent, takes the questions directly. He argues that copying the European model is never neutral, because Africa’s context is fundamentally different. The conversation is not a rejection of regulation. It is a demand for regulation that reflects African realities, African economies, and African ambitions.Curious to hear more? Tune in to the full conversation on the Pan-African Frequency podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, and Podcast Addict► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency
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Africa’s AI Future Cannot Be Copy-Paste Job — Nigerian Expert
African governments are racing to regulate artificial intelligence, but importing Europe’s rulebook could stall innovation and deepen data exploitation. This episode explores why homegrown AI governance, rooted in informal economies and pan-African unity, is the only path to true digital sovereignty.
Across Africa, a wave of artificial intelligence legislation is taking shape. Governments are drafting new AI laws—and some of those drafts look strikingly similar to the European Union’s AI Act. However, an increasing number of African experts and proponents of digital rights are posing a more critical question: is copying Brussels truly appropriate for a continent where the informal sector predominates and data is frequently extracted rather than produced locally? Furthermore, how may it be modified to meet the unique requirements of African communities?
In this episode of Pan-African Frequency, Adeboye Adegoke, a Nigerian digital rights expert who has led research on technology policy, digital inclusion, and AI governance across the continent, takes the questions directly. He argues that copying the European model is never neutral, because Africa’s context is fundamentally different. The conversation is not a rejection of regulation. It is a demand for regulation that reflects African realities, African economies, and African ambitions.
“What seems to be like a trend of copy-pasting or adoption of EU-style regulation around AI, and not just AI, around digital policy generally, is not really a good trend [...] Africa should not definitely pursue or go in the direction of copy-pasting [...]. The first question to answer is, are we as Africans capable of leading the conversation? The answer to that for me is yes! But have we organized ourselves to position ourselves to be able to lead those conversations? That is where I cannot confidently answer in the affirmative. Africa must move from being discussed in global AI governance to becoming one of the places from which even AI governance is defined. What we have seen over the years, even from the data protection framework, is that Africa would typically sit back, wait, and watch what the EU is doing and then go to the EU to copy and paste it. We don't want to see that going forward. We want to see Africa take leadership in the AI governance conversation,” Adegoke said.
Curious to hear more? Tune in to the full conversation on the
Pan-African Frequency podcast, brought to you by
Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency 
