“Nigeria Must Prepare Its Workforce For The Age Of AI” — Gadzama, SAN, Calls For Digital Literacy, Youth Empowerment At 19th Annual Lecture

Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, OFR, SAN, Life Bencher and Founding Principal Partner of J-K Gadzama LLP, has called for greater investment in digital literacy, technological skills and youth empowerment to prepare Nigeria’s workforce for the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Gadzama made the call during the firm’s 19th Annual Public Lecture, held virtually on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, under the theme, “The Future of Work: Preparing Nigeria’s Workforce for the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

The lecture brought together legal practitioners, academics, government representatives, regulators, executives, industrialists and technology professionals to examine the opportunities, challenges and implications of artificial intelligence for Nigeria’s workforce.

Among the dignitaries represented at the event was the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN. Serving and retired judges, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, top executives from the public and private sectors, and industrialists also participated.

Prof. Peter Terkaa Akper, SAN, OFR, and Prof. Paul O. Idornigie, SAN, were also in attendance and made contributions to the discussions.

In his welcome address, Chief Gadzama emphasised the need for Nigeria to adopt a deliberate and collaborative approach to technological advancement, particularly by equipping young people with the skills necessary to remain relevant in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

He stressed that preparing the workforce for artificial intelligence would require cooperation among the government, industry, academia and the legal profession.

Gadzama also cautioned that technological innovation must not deepen existing inequalities or expose workers to avoidable economic vulnerability, urging stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of AI adoption are accessible across different sectors of society.

The Chairman’s opening remarks were delivered by Umar Shehu Bida, Esq., Legal Adviser to the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), on behalf of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN.

In the remarks, the Minister emphasised the importance of integrating artificial intelligence literacy into educational programmes and professional training to prepare Nigerians for the changing demands of the workplace.

He stressed the need to build workers’ capacity to evaluate AI-generated information, recognise potential bias and safeguard confidential data when using emerging technologies.

The Minister also advocated measuring the success of technology transfer by the extent to which it develops local expertise and strengthens Nigeria’s technological capacity.

The keynote lecture was delivered by Rotimi Ogunyemi, a senior technology lawyer and Partner at BOC Legal, who examined how organisations could introduce artificial intelligence into their operations without neglecting employee development, workplace responsibilities and professional standards.

Ogunyemi urged employers to adopt AI progressively, consult employees who may be affected by technological changes and provide structured training during working hours.

He cautioned against assessing productivity improvements solely by the speed of automated output, explaining that adequate consideration must also be given to the time required to verify, review and correct AI-generated work.

The keynote speaker further called for inclusive artificial intelligence training that would extend beyond formal workplaces to Nigerians operating in the informal economy, including traders, artisans and farmers.

He also stressed the importance of preserving supervised professional training for junior employees to ensure that the adoption of AI does not undermine the development of practical skills and professional competence.

The discussions continued with contributions from a panel of experts who examined the implications of artificial intelligence for employment, privacy, organisational governance, accountability and workplace equality.

Professor Lukman Abdulrauf of the University of Ilorin raised concerns about how the economic and productivity gains associated with artificial intelligence would be distributed.

He also questioned the opportunities that would remain available to workers whose jobs could be displaced by emerging technologies.

Ibukunoluwa Owa of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission highlighted the importance of privacy risk assessments and human review in the deployment of artificial intelligence systems.

Owa’s contribution underscored the need for organisations to consider data protection obligations and ensure appropriate safeguards when deploying technologies that process personal or confidential information.

Folahanmi Ogunbodede advised organisations to evaluate the operational and commercial risks associated with artificial intelligence before integrating such systems into their activities.

Pamela Victor-Ibitamuno emphasised the importance of human oversight and accountability, while Sarah Jeta Atumga, Esq., advocated practical AI literacy and safeguards against discriminatory practices arising from automated recruitment and employee appraisal systems.

The discussions highlighted the need to balance technological efficiency with the protection of workers’ rights, responsible data management, fair employment practices and continued human involvement in important workplace decisions.

In his closing remarks, Chief Gadzama raised questions concerning the institutions that should regulate artificial intelligence in Nigeria, their capacity to ensure compliance with applicable standards and the appropriate mechanisms for addressing regulatory breaches.

He emphasised the importance of examining Nigeria’s institutional readiness for the challenges associated with artificial intelligence and the need for effective oversight as adoption of the technology increases.

Gadzama also disclosed that J-K Gadzama LLP would explore ways of applying lessons from the lecture to the firm’s operations.

Meanwhile, the organising committee announced plans to prepare a communiqué containing the discussions and recommendations from the lecture for circulation to participants, relevant institutions and the National Assembly.

The lecture brought together perspectives from the legal profession, government, academia, technology and industry on how Nigeria could prepare its workforce for artificial intelligence while promoting digital literacy, youth empowerment, responsible innovation and effective regulatory safeguards.

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

“A Comprehensive Guide To Evidence Law” — Releases Second Edition In Three Volumes, Covering 4,051 Cases

For enquiries and orders, contact: 08035526491 Email: jerryamadisilk@gmail.com Prof. Jerry Amadi’s Evidence Law, Second Edition (2026), contains 3,314 pages in three volumes, covering the Evidence Act 2011, its 2023 amendment, and 4,051 Nigerian and English cases.