As Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption continues to grow across Africa, Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, a global health advocate and President of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, has emphasized the urgent need for AI regulation in Nigeria and other African countries. Dr. Leite, who is also the CEO of HealthAI, advocated for stronger regulatory capacities aligned with global standards during a series of high-level meetings with regional leaders.
Leite’s mission in West Africa focused on promoting the responsible management of AI’s rapid growth. He met with key officials, including ECOWAS President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to discuss the role of AI governance in driving sustainable development in sectors such as healthcare, education, and innovation.
A key concern raised by Leite was the absence of comprehensive governance structures, which poses risks to public interest, data security, and long-term innovation. He emphasized that without proper regulation, AI’s benefits could be overshadowed by potential harms, particularly in areas like privacy, data misuse, and inequality. His advocacy has led to efforts to include ECOWAS countries, particularly Nigeria, in global AI regulatory frameworks.
During his visit to Nigeria, Leite participated in the Healthcare Policy Dialogue organized by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), where he presented to top healthcare leaders from both the public and private sectors, including Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. These discussions aimed to highlight the need for country-led governance models to regulate AI within health systems and ensure that AI’s risks are managed while maximizing its potential to improve healthcare outcomes.
Leite underscored the importance of African countries playing an active role in shaping global AI regulations, advocating for collaboration with international partners to create resilient frameworks that balance innovation with public safety.
Njide Ndili, the Country Director of PharmAccess and a founding member of the Digital Transformations for Health Lab, also supported this initiative. She emphasized the need for an AI toolkit and awareness training for Nigerian government agencies, highlighting the importance of ethical standards to protect communities as AI becomes integrated into health systems.
Dr. Leite concluded by calling for a strategic approach to AI regulation in Africa, noting that by fostering awareness and providing necessary tools, governments can safeguard their citizens while harnessing AI to transform healthcare and improve quality of life for all.
