Nigeria, UK deepen ties on AI, digital trade standards

The United Kingdom and Nigeria are strengthening cooperation on artificial intelligence governance, digital trade standards and cybersecurity as both countries seek to promote trusted technology adoption and support digital economic growth.

The partnership was reinforced during a recent visit by the British Standards Institution to Nigeria, which included a workshop on artificial intelligence governance and standards organised in collaboration with the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme.

The four-day programme brought together senior government officials, regulators and technology practitioners to examine how internationally recognised standards could support responsible AI adoption, risk management and institutional oversight. The workshop culminated in a high-level reception at the Afreximbank Trade Centre in Abuja.

The initiative comes as governments and businesses increasingly confront questions about the safe deployment of artificial intelligence, including accountability, data protection and the management of risks associated with emerging technologies.

According to the British High Commission, the engagement builds on several years of collaboration between the BSI and Nigerian institutions, including the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and NCAIR, to promote the use of international standards in the country’s digital economy.

Speaking at the reception in Abuja, the British High Commission’s First Secretary for Economic Partnerships and Digital, Grace Bell, said effective governance frameworks and trusted standards were essential to realising the economic benefits of artificial intelligence.

“Artificial Intelligence presents enormous opportunities for economic growth, innovation and social development. However, realising these benefits requires the right governance frameworks, strong institutions and trusted standards that can underpin safe, secure and responsible adoption,” Bell stated in an email.

She added that cooperation between the UK and Nigeria was intended to create conditions for innovation, investment, trade and public trust through the adoption of internationally recognised standards.

“Our collaboration with BSI, NITDA, SON, and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy reflects a shared belief that standards are not simply technical tools; they are strategic enablers of innovation, investment, trade and public trust,” she said.

The workshop examined standards including ISO/IEC 42001, which specifies requirements for establishing and improving artificial intelligence management systems, and ISO/IEC 23894, which provides guidance on AI-related risk management.

Related News

• Telecoms, data centres target improved internet interconnection
• U-17 World Cup: Flamingos eye quarter-final place against Mexico
• Evening recap: FG approves Ebola stipend, Tope Alabi threatens lawsuit, other top stories 

The standards offer organisations frameworks for managing the risks associated with AI systems, establishing oversight processes and supporting responsible deployment. Their application, however, depends on how institutions incorporate them into their policies, operational procedures and accountability mechanisms.

Representing the Nigerian government, the National Coordinator of NCAIR, Dr Olubunmi Ajala, highlighted the importance of developing national capacity to govern emerging technologies.

He said the collaboration had helped move discussions on emerging technologies towards building institutional capacity within Nigeria.

Beyond artificial intelligence, the partnership covers digital trust, data governance, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure and electronic waste management, according to the British High Commission.

During the visit, the BSI also engaged with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s climate finance team to assess electronic waste management models in Nigeria and explore opportunities for further cooperation.

The discussions point to a broader scope for UK-Nigeria collaboration on standards, extending beyond technology governance to environmental management and the frameworks supporting cross-border digital commerce.

For Nigeria, the use of international standards could help organisations establish common approaches to security, interoperability, data management and technology assurance. Such frameworks can also support businesses seeking to operate across markets where regulatory requirements and expectations around digital trust differ.

However, standards adoption requires sustained implementation, institutional coordination and the capacity to monitor compliance. The workshop forms part of the wider effort to build that capacity among policymakers, regulators and technology practitioners.

The British High Commission said the UK would continue working with Nigerian institutions to support digital transformation and promote standards-led approaches to technology adoption.