Africa is emerging as a significant adopter of artificial intelligence (AI), yet experts like David Adeoye Abodunrin, an AI Transformations Coach and Chief Futurism Officer, caution that mere adoption is insufficient. During a media dialogue in Lagos, Abodunrin emphasized that without strategic leadership, fundamental behavioral changes, and governance frameworks tailored to African realities, AI risks exacerbating existing systemic weaknesses rather than fostering prosperity across the continent.

Abodunrin, an Amazon 14-time international bestselling author, is recognized for frameworks that integrate behavioral psychology, foresight strategy, and digital sovereignty. Through his organizations, Cubed Integrated Consulting and Cyberfore Consulting, he empowers governments, boards, and enterprises to construct secure, future-ready institutions capable of thriving amidst global volatility. He posits that Africa’s genuine AI opportunity lies in architecting intelligent systems aligned with its unique values, cultures, and long-term interests, rather than passively consuming external tools. He articulated his mission, stating, “AI is not merely a tool, it is a transformational frontier that can unlock prosperity, resilience and leadership for Africans in the global digital era. My mission is to help individuals, governments and organisations engineer strategic advantage through anticipatory intelligence and ethically aligned innovation.”

Across Africa, governments are actively formulating AI policies, tech communities are innovating at a rapid pace, and organizations are integrating AI tools into their daily operations. Nigerians, in particular, consistently demonstrate high rates of AI adoption in numerous global surveys and research studies, positioning the nation as a continental leader in embracing AI technologies. However, Abodunrin highlights a critical challenge: high adoption without strategic implementation can lead to fragmentation, redundant efforts, conflicting standards, and missed opportunities for collective advancement. Artificial intelligence has evolved beyond a technological advancement to fundamentally influence the distribution of power, productivity trajectories, governance structures, and institutional legitimacy worldwide.

Recent research commissioned by Google and Ipsos underscores remarkable AI adoption among Nigerians: 93% utilize AI for learning complex topics, 88% have engaged with AI chatbots, 91% use AI in their professional lives, and 80% leverage AI to explore business concepts. This data demonstrates Nigerians' exceptional willingness to experiment with new technologies and explore AI capabilities across diverse applications. Despite this enthusiasm, Abodunrin asserts that the primary impediment to successful AI transformation in Africa is not a lack of computational power, data infrastructure, or algorithmic sophistication—these are solvable technical issues. Instead, the real obstacles reside within human systems: ingrained behavioral patterns, organizational cultures resistant to change, leadership mindsets shaped by industrial-era assumptions, and incentive structures that favor caution over innovation. He warns that until these human dimensions are addressed, technical investments will consistently fail to deliver their full potential.

Abodunrin argues that the discourse around AI in Africa has disproportionately focused on tools, neglecting the crucial aspect of leadership. AI, he explains, is now redefining power dynamics, institutional legitimacy, and national competitive advantage. In this evolving landscape, leadership must transition from traditional command-and-control models to designing environments where individuals can effectively and confidently interact with intelligent systems.

For African organizations to truly capitalize on AI, Abodunrin suggests that the initial step is not technological deployment but achieving behavioral and cultural alignment. He contends that transformation begins when leaders recognize that trust in AI systems must be meticulously built through consistent, positive interactions before widespread adoption and measurable impact can be realized. Expecting immediate returns on investment without establishing this human foundation is, he states, a common reason for AI initiative failures. He further stresses that human capacity—encompassing cognitive performance, emotional resilience, and adaptability—has become a form of critical infrastructure. Just as nations invest in physical infrastructure like roads and power, organizations must invest in the well-being and readiness of their workforce to engage with intelligent systems. This paradigm shift necessitates leaders rethinking incentive structures, information flows, and organizational norms to ensure AI becomes a source of value creation, not silent resistance.

Ultimately, Abodunrin advocates for a model of digital sovereignty that is intrinsically rooted in African realities. This involves cultivating local talent, developing indigenous data infrastructure, creating African-specific training datasets, and establishing governance frameworks that accurately reflect the continent’s unique socio-economic contexts. Only through such an approach, he concludes, can Africa transcend its role as a consumer of imported intelligence and become an architect of systems that genuinely serve its long-term interests and aspirations.