Religious leaders lead conversation on Nigeria AI journey

The critical role of faith leaders in shaping Nigeria’s AI journey in Africa, especially Nigeria was the focus of a consultation organised by the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) Institute of Church and Society, Ibadan with the support of the Future of Life Institute in the United States of America.

Under the aegis of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Jama’atuNasril Islam (JNI), a select leadership of the Christian and Muslim leaders convened at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja, for a pivotal consultation on the implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for religious practices and by extension the Nigerian communities.

The landmark meeting explored AI’s impact on faith, community development, and societal well-being, emphasising the critical role of religious leaders in guiding their communities through the ever-changing cum complex technological era.

The consultation affirmed that faith leaders have a critical role in shaping Nigeria’s AI journey in Africa, especially Nigeria. By fostering awareness, ethical governance, and collaboration with policymakers, religious communities can ensure that AI serves as a tool for societal good, while upholding spiritual values.

The consultation was against the background of the profound influence of churches and mosques in Nigerian public and community life and it sought to enhance understanding of AI and its implications to faith and society, equip religious leaders to engage meaningfully in AI-related policies and regulations as well as promote collaboration between faith communities and policymakers for ethical and inclusive AI adoption.

Participants received expert insights on the transformative role of AI across industries and communities as well as ethical, social, and spiritual considerations of AI adoption.

They observed that AI is now an integral part of daily life, affecting sectors such as religion, education, healthcare, and agriculture while it is value-neutral as its impact depends on its governance and application.

“Faith communities in Nigeria lack sufficient knowledge and engagement with AI, and religious leaders are underrepresented in AI policy discussions; AI presents both opportunities and challenges for societal and spiritual well-being; success stories of AI adoption within religious communities are valuable and should be shared regularly to motivate and inspire others.

“Nigeria and indeed Africa possess unique strengths that must be recognised and leveraged in the adoption of AI and religious leaders could explore and/or study, as well as deepen their understanding of their faith’s doctrines and theology to ensure technology does not supplant the role of God in society,” they observed.

They recommended that faith communities should prioritise training, reskilling, and education to harness AI’s benefits responsibly, religious leaders must actively engage with the government to shape policies and regulations that reflect ethical AI practices, conscious advocacy to ensure government support for providing adequate resources, such as materials for computerized examinations in schools and AI literacy within their communities and highlight its potential for positive transformation amongst others.

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