UNILAG VC, Experts Seek Equitable Partnerships to Position Africa as Global Player in AI Revolution

Funmi Ogundare

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, yesterday, called for equitable and mutually beneficial partnerships as the foundation for Africa’s participation in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.

She stressed the continent must move from being a passive consumer to an active contributor and leader in developing contextually relevant solutions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the university’s fifth International Week, themed ‘Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa,” Ogunsola explained that Africa must seize the opportunity presented by AI to leapfrog its development challenges and reimagine key sectors such as education, healthcare, governance, industry, and food security.

She said: “Artificial Intelligence is not the future; it is the present. For Africa, AI represents something deeper, an opportunity to leapfrog, to catch up and even overtake.

“But for AI to truly serve Africa, the foundation must be equitable partnerships rooted not in charity, but in shared growth, mutual respect and co-creation.”

The VC stressed that Africa’s engagement with AI should go beyond technological adoption to include reshaping global narratives around inclusion, innovation, and equity.

She maintained that partnerships must help African institutions manage critical resources such as data and energy responsibly.

“AI consumes data and energy; two resources that Africans are yet to appropriately manage. So, we must ask, how do we build partnerships that help us manage these resources?

“How do we ensure that the right data drives the right algorithms for us? How do we develop the human capital required to build AI that suits our realities,” she asked.

 Ogunsola stressed UNILAG’s commitment to becoming a hub of excellence in AI innovation and interdisciplinary research that aligns with both global standards and African realities.

She described the International Week as a platform to drive dialogue and collaboration among universities, technology companies, government institutions, and international organisations.

According to her, the conversations at the event are designed to move beyond intentions to tangible outcomes that will shape Africa’s contribution to the global AI ecosystem.

 “By the time we conclude this week, our goal is to leave with new plans for collaboration and partnerships that recognise what we can contribute to the global AI conversation,” she stated.

In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), of the University, Prof. Afolabi Leshi, called for the responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through equitable partnerships that ensure technology advances human and societal development rather than undermining it.

He said the continent must not ignore the growing impact of AI across key sectors such as education, healthcare, finance, governance, and the humanities.

He stressed that the true test of such gatherings lies not in the agreements signed, but in concrete outcomes that improve the lives of students, faculty, local communities, and nations.

 “The task before us is to use AI responsibly and to leverage its capacities through partnerships with key industry players in a way that ensures it serves society’s activity,” he stated. “Beyond the agreements we sign on paper, we must move from intent to results that can be seen and felt.”

Leshi described Artificial Intelligence as a practical toolset, not an abstract promise, noting that UNILAG’s AI projects are built to reflect the realities of African environments, including varied connectivity, multilingual communities, and dense urban systems.

“Projects are tested with users and audited for ethics,” he explained. “Engineers work with linguists, computer scientists with urban planners, and clinicians with social scientists, ensuring that technology answers to people and places, not the other way around.”

In her keynote, the Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, Bank of America, Yvonne Ike, noted that Africa must take charge of its technological future by developing indigenous innovations, defining its own Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, and leveraging its human and natural resources to shape equitable global partnerships.

She stressed that the continent could no longer afford to be a passive consumer of global technologies, urging governments and private sector players, particularly in Nigeria to invest strategically in infrastructure, skills and policy frameworks that would enable Africa to lead in the age of AI and data-driven innovation.

 “We cannot afford to wait for others to define AI for us,” Ike stated, adding that, “We must develop our own engineers, our own logic, our own algorithms, and ensure that technology works for us, in our health systems, our education, and our agriculture.”

She noted that Africa, with its population of over 1.2 billion, abundant critical minerals, and a growing pool of youthful talent, occupies a pivotal position in global geopolitics and the emerging technological order.

“We have the resources and the minerals the world needs to drive this new wave of innovation,” she said. “The question is, do we sit back and wait for others to decide how they engage with us or do we lead and set our own agenda?”

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to building an inclusive and resilient digital economy worth $1 trillion, as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness.

Tijani who was represented by the National Director of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Dr. Bunmi Ajala, commended UNILAG for sustaining a platform that continues to shape national and continental conversations on technology, equity, and the future of innovation.

He described the theme as timely and crucial in view of the rapid global transformation driven by AI.

He said the federal government viewed the digital economy not merely as a sector, but as “a foundational pillar for Nigeria’s accelerated economic growth.”

According to him, “AI is no longer a concept of the future but a present reality reshaping economies, societies and human interaction.

“As we embrace this technological revolution, we must also ask critical questions; who benefits from it, who is left behind, and how can Africa become not just a consumer but an active co-creator and beneficiary?”