Nigeria Moves to Regulate AI in Healthcare, Tackle Health Data Fragmentation
By Ojoma Akor
The Federal Government said it is working to establish sector-specific regulations for health data as Nigeria seeks to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and address fragmented health information across institutions.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziak Adekunle Salako, disclosed this at the AI in Health Summit 2026, held on Tuesday, in Abuja. The Africa Hub for Innovation and Development (AHFID) organized it on October 19–20 in Abuja.
Salako said the government was working to operationalize health data regulations, including provisions for the secondary use of clinical data for public health purposes, anonymization standards, and consent frameworks.
He said the measures would build on the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and support the responsible deployment of AI technologies across the country’s health system.
According to the minister, the government is also addressing fragmented health data through the National Digital Health Architecture (NDHA) and a planned Health Information Exchange designed to improve the sharing and use of health information across institutions.
“As AI adoption in healthcare accelerates, we are committed to ensuring that innovation is guided by appropriate policies, ethical standards, transparency, accountability, and the protection of patient privacy,” he said.
He added that citizens must be confident that emerging technologies are deployed responsibly and in the public interest.
Government targets wider AI adoption in healthcare
Salako said Nigeria was positioning itself to harness AI to improve healthcare delivery, expand access to services and strengthen decision-making across the health sector.
He noted that the Federal Government had placed digital transformation at the center of its health sector reform agenda, supported by the Nigeria Digital Health Strategy (2021–2025), the Nigeria Digital-in-Health Initiative and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy launched in September 2025.
The National Digital Health Architecture, which he said all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory endorsed, provides the technical framework for the country’s digital health transformation.
According to the minister, AI is already being applied in areas such as disease surveillance, clinical decision support, diagnostics, supply chain management and health financing.
He said these applications could improve health outcomes and expand access to quality healthcare, particularly for underserved populations.
Nigeria’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, operating under the National Information Technology Development Agency, is also spearheading initiatives to integrate AI into healthcare delivery.
Salako also highlighted the Nigeria Atlas for Languages & AI at Scale (N-ATLAS), which he described as Nigeria’s first open-source, multilingual and multimodal large language model trained on local language data.
He said the initiative could make AI tools more accessible to Nigerians, regardless of language or literacy level.
Infrastructure and skills remain major challenges.
Despite the opportunities presented by AI, Salako acknowledged that significant challenges must be addressed before the technology can be deployed at scale.
He identified reliable electricity, broadband connectivity, quality data systems, cybersecurity safeguards and a skilled health workforce as essential foundations for sustainable AI adoption.
The minister said the government was working to expand digital infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
He also stressed the need to strengthen digital literacy and AI skills across the health workforce, from community health workers to specialist clinicians and health system managers.
“AI cannot thrive without reliable digital infrastructure, quality data systems, interoperability standards, cybersecurity safeguards, and a skilled workforce,” he said.
Salako called for increased investment in training programs, integrating AI competencies into medical and health professional curricula, and creating opportunities for Nigerian innovators to develop solutions tailored to local healthcare needs.
Government calls for partnerships and equitable access
The minister urged governments, development partners, academic institutions, healthcare providers, innovators and private-sector organizations to work together to scale up AI in healthcare.
He said public-private partnerships would be critical to developing sustainable financing, deployment and adoption models.
He also warned that AI’s benefits must extend beyond major cities and well-resourced hospitals.
He said, “As we deploy AI tools across the health system, we must ensure that rural and underserved populations benefit alongside urban communities. Technology must close gaps, not widen them.”
Salako urged policymakers to establish clear regulatory frameworks focused on safety, ethics and equity, while calling on innovators to develop interoperable and scalable solutions suited to Nigeria’s needs.
He also urged development partners to align their support with national priorities and invest in sustainable, government-owned infrastructure.
Healthcare professionals, he said, should embrace digital tools and take an active role in their design and implementation. At the same time, researchers should generate evidence on what works and translate findings into policy and practice.
From pilot projects to measurable health impact
Salako said Nigeria must move beyond experimental AI projects towards integrating successful innovations into the country’s health system.
“The question before us is no longer whether AI can transform healthcare. The question is how we can collectively move from experimentation to institutionalization, from pilots to platforms, and from innovation to measurable health impact at scale,” he said.
He called on stakeholders to ensure that the summit resulted in concrete action, stronger collaboration and sustained investment in digital health.
With strategic investment, regulatory clarity, workforce training and sustained political commitment, Salako said AI could make healthcare more accessible, efficient and patient-centered in Nigeria and across Africa.
