LASU DON URGES NIGERIA TO ENACT NATIONAL AI ACT AS TECHNOLOGY RESHAPES HUMAN THINKING
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
A Professor of Computer Science at Lagos State University, Prof. Oluwatoyin Enikuomehin, has called for the urgent enactment of a National Artificial Intelligence Act, warning that the rapid integration of AI into everyday life is already changing how humans think, remember and make decisions.
Enikuomehin made the call on Tuesday while delivering LASU’s 127th Inaugural Lecture at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Main Campus, Ojo, Lagos, titled, “Thinking Machines and the Future of Thinking: Cyberphysicalism, the Transformation of Human Thought and the Emergence of an Artificial Intelligence Driven Algorithmic Society.”
The professor said the debate around AI should move beyond whether machines possess intelligence to examining the growing influence of technology on human cognition, particularly as people increasingly “think with machines.”
“This morning, like many of us, the first thing I reached for was not a book but my phone. Before I was fully awake, I had checked messages, glanced at updates, responded to prompts and asked questions that required answers,” he said.
“In those few minutes, something subtle but important had already happened. I had begun my day not by thinking alone, but by thinking with a machine.”
According to him, AI has evolved into a powerful extension of human cognitive abilities, creating an urgent need for effective governance to prevent its misuse and unintended consequences.
To address concerns around biased, opaque and potentially harmful AI systems, Enikuomehin introduced the AI Governance Stack, a seven-layer framework for promoting responsible and accountable deployment of artificial intelligence.
The framework comprises infrastructure security, data governance, algorithmic accountability, explainability, ethical oversight, regulatory compliance and societal impact assessment.
“AI governance is a layered problem. Failure at any layer propagates upward and undermines the layers above it,” Enikuomehin said.
“A system with perfect ethical oversight but weak data governance will still produce biased outputs.”
He argued that Nigeria’s regulatory response must be sufficiently detailed to address governance requirements across the different layers of AI deployment.
“Nigeria requires a comprehensive legislative framework that is architecturally precise, specifying what governance mechanisms are required at each layer of the Governance Stack,” he said.
The don further proposed the establishment of an independent National AI Research and Governance Council to evaluate the societal implications of artificial intelligence, provide policy recommendations to government and represent Nigeria in global discussions on AI governance.
However, Enikuomehin said legislation alone would not be enough, warning that gaps in digital infrastructure could further widen existing socioeconomic inequalities.
He therefore advocated universal broadband coverage, affordable access to digital devices and dependable electricity, saying these were necessary to ensure that the benefits of AI were broadly shared.
“Without universal broadband, affordable device access and reliable electricity, AI will deepen the inequalities it promises to address,” he warned.
The professor also urged Nigerians to adopt AI while maintaining independent judgment and critical thinking.
“Our memories are stored in the cloud, our decisions are influenced by algorithms, and our knowledge is increasingly co-created with machines,” he said.
“Success will depend not on competing with machines but on developing the uniquely human capacities that enable meaningful collaboration with them.”
He encouraged users to independently verify AI-generated information, exercise ethical judgment and take greater responsibility for protecting their digital identities.
“In a cyberphysical world, your data is your cognitive shadow. Digital privacy is not merely a technical concern. It is a dimension of human dignity.”
Responding to the lecture, the Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, described the presentation as “a very stimulating lecture” with “no dull moment,” noting that it provided significant insight into the changing relationship between human cognition and artificial intelligence.
“It was a very stimulating lecture. There was no dull moment. The lecture explored the evolution from human thinking to machine thinking, showing how AI, augmented and cyber-physical systems are reshaping human cognition and creating a new algorithmic society,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced that Enikuomehin would be the first inaugural lecturer to receive LASU’s newly introduced commemorative certificate for inaugural lecturers.
“As an honour, you are the very first inaugural lecturer who will be given a commemorative certificate. You have been officially welcomed into the Senate and the Body of Professors,” she added.
The lecture was followed by a reception at the Femi Gbajabiamila Conference Centre, where colleagues, friends, family members and well-wishers gathered to celebrate Enikuomehin and share in the milestone of his inaugural lecture.
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