At a major governance conference in Lagos, the Centre for Enterprise Governance chief, Dr. Adeyinka Hassan, sounded a strong warning: unless Nigeria and Africa urgently embrace technology—and particularly artificial intelligence—the continent risks being sidelined in global progress.
Hassan, speaking at the 3rd Biennial Corporate Governance and Enterprise Development Conference, argued that shifts in the global economy are being driven by AI, inward-looking national policies, and new models of governance. He urged African leaders to move beyond promises and speeches, stressing the need for decisive action.
“Leadership today is not about titles. It is about adaptive intelligence, the courage to embrace technology without losing our humanity, the wisdom to drive innovation even in protectionist times, and the integrity to uphold governance that is transparent, inclusive, and bold,” he told the audience.
The gathering drew high-profile attendees, including Ogun State’s Secretary to the Government, Olatokunbo Talabi, who served as Guest of Honour; NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Abdullahi Inuwa, who gave the keynote speech; as well as governance thought leaders such as Professor Bolanle Oladejo and Mrs. Olayemi Keri.
Backing his concerns with statistics, Hassan revealed that 78 percent of companies globally already deploy artificial intelligence, nearly half of them for data analysis. In telecommunications, more than half of firms now use AI-driven chatbots to raise productivity.
He added that the global AI sector is worth over $391 billion, with projections indicating it will generate $3.78 trillion in business value by next year. But while the rest of the world moves at “lightning speed,” he warned, Africa risks falling further behind. “If we delay, the digital divide will not just widen, it will transform into an economic gulf,” he cautioned.
Calling the event “a call to leadership and a call to action,” Hassan pressed policymakers, entrepreneurs, and institutions to make bold choices that will shape Africa’s future. In his words, the continent must decide whether to remain “a spectator in the AI-driven global economy or an architect of its own prosperity.”
He ended with a rallying charge: “The time is now. The place is here. The task is ours.”
