The Nigerian government has been urged to urgently regulate the deployment and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country.
The call was made on Thursday by the Nigeria Religious Coalition on AI (NRCAI), comprising the Christian Council of Nigeria and Jama’atu Nasril Islam, during a training program for journalists on the ethical use of AI in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria, Bishop Evans Onyemara, said the government must regulate AI to ensure that Nigerians maximize the benefits of the technology while avoiding potential harm.
He said, “The essence of our meeting here today is to talk about the religious understanding and use of artificial intelligence. And we as a church have the understanding that human beings are made in the image of God and that apart from human beings there is no other thing that God has given prominence in creation. And that is why the Bible said, “Man, if you like humanity, human beings, you should control every other thing and ensure orderliness in the universe.”
Onyemara added that humans must ensure that AI is deployed in ways that promote the common good.
“So we believe that human beings should deploy things like artificial intelligence in the best aspect that will enhance the common good, that will enhance our existence, and that will not put us into harm or harm’s way. So it is important that the country adopt strategies and regulations that will ensure that the use of AI in the country is regulated. From our training today, it is obvious, and we have been educated, and our eyes are open that Nigerians can ask for laws that regulate the use of AI and not just allow the artificial general intelligence and whatever that is English-made, you know, to be pulled down into our country and everybody begins to scamper for it.”
He further noted that Nigeria can also develop its own AI systems.
“We can regulate what we use in Nigeria, and we can also help to co-create the kind of AI that we require and need for use as a nation in Nigeria”, he stated.
How Christians should use AI—Bishop Onyemara
“Well, I wouldn’t want you to push me to that philosophy of saying AI should be used scripturally because what we’re asking is for ethical use, and when we talk about ethics, we are looking at the rightness and wrongness of every action.
“So that is where, because if you push it further to a scriptural use, it will now begin to offend some people. But when we talk about it generally as an issue of ethics, you discover that every religion, even those who don’t believe in anything, is covered because it would make for peace and harmony and concord in our society”.
How Muslims should use AI—Mallam Bida
Also speaking, the Administrative Secretary of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Mallam Yusuf Ahmed Bida, explained that there are four major principles guiding the use of AI from the Islamic perspective.
“Essentially, there are four components to the deployment or usage of AI from the Islamic perspective.
“One, it should serve as a method or as a way of getting closer to God.
“Two, there should be some level of sincerity in usage without abusing it. It should be that that will not be harmful to the community you are using it on, and it should not harm you yourself.
“Three, you should be just in its usage. Anything that will cause mistrust or cause problems, you should not go into it, and you should have a feeling of mercy and accountability. You should know that it is a sort of being merciful by God Almighty to us so that these things will ease our work, and we should know that we will be accountable on the day of judgment for every act of engagement we do with AI, just as with our lives. ”
Bida also stressed the need for strict government oversight of AI in Nigeria.
“Well, first and foremost, the government has to understand the enormity associated with the AI.
“They should not open up Nigerian space. When I say Nigerian space, Nigerian technological space, or all sorts of things, there should be a serious check on the part of the government.
“Number two, it’s not everything that should be deployed into the Nigerian technology space or science and technology. There should be serious scrutiny. Number three, the government must be firm in its decisions on matters of AI.
“If not, it will be disruptive in the near future. Just as we have seen in some countries, even the use of AI for research has been seriously regulated. Here, it is just free somehow.
“But government, especially through education, science, and technology, needs to seriously regulate this AI, and a policy document should clearly bring on board all these policies so that Nigerians should know what it entails”?, hr .
Similarly, Very Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, Director of the Institute of Church and Society, Ibadan, also emphasized the importance of ensuring ethical use of AI within Nigeria’s digital economy ecosystem.
Nigerian Newsphere recalls the National Information Technology Development Agency reiterated the Nigerian government’s commitment to responsible use of AI.
