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These concerns were raised at the Nigeria Fintech Week in Lagos on Thursday, where experts stressed the need for robust AI governance across the continent.

Speaking during a panel session, the Managing Director of Simmons Cooper Partners, Ikem Isiekwena, warned of an “intelligence trap”, wherein AI models, primarily trained on data from the global north, could leave Africa reliant on foreign technologies that fail to address the continent’s specific needs.

“AI models are largely trained on data from the global north, making African contexts and narratives underrepresented. When our stories and contexts are missing from the data driving AI, we risk facing a new form of colonialism—one where foreign data shapes outcomes in Africa,” he cautioned.

According to Isiekwena, this “intelligence trap” poses a significant threat to Africa’s sovereignty, as the continent becomes a passive consumer of foreign AI technologies. Without sufficient local data to influence these models, Africa could be left with tools and systems that fail to address its unique needs, he argued.

On the regulatory front, Isiekwena pointed out the fragmentation across African countries in terms of legal frameworks.

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