Obasanjo: Nigeria takes economic instructions from experts who have never managed a household

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo cautioned against accepting economic advice from foreign-trained experts without considering Nigeria's unique circumstances. Addressing the Ajibosin Platform in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo lamented Nigeria's reliance on young individuals who have never managed a household for economic guidance.

He criticized the World Bank and IMF for imposing policies that do not suit Nigeria's specific needs. Obasanjo expressed concern about accepting recommendations from experts who, despite their academic achievements, lack practical experience in managing households. He questioned why a nation of 250 million people would depend on the insights of individuals who may not fully grasp the complexities of their country.

Obasanjo urged Nigeria to view Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the lens of its own interests, rather than adopting everything presented by foreign entities. He highlighted Nigeria's historical experiences with the slave trade, colonialism, globalization, and structural adjustment programs, warning that such initiatives often come with disadvantages.

The former president emphasized the need for Nigeria to take control of AI and utilize it to address critical national issues such as education, agriculture, healthcare, and pharmaceutical production. He proposed that AI could help determine the types of crops to grow and ensure adequate production to address food and nutrition security.

Dr. Umar Ardo, the guest speaker and convener of the League of Northern Democrats, warned that unchecked data harvesting could become Africa's new form of extraction, likening it to the slave ship refitted as a server farm. Ardo highlighted Africa's historical pattern of exporting raw materials, skilled labor, and crude commodities, emphasizing that data could become the fourth commodity to be extracted.

He pointed out that Africa generates significant data through its young population, languages, farms, hospitals, and businesses, yet lacks the hardware and model-building capacity to utilize this data effectively. Ardo argued that while AI could be beneficial in addressing various challenges, including agricultural extension, primary healthcare, land records, and revenue collection, it must be approached with caution.

He called for a guarded embrace of AI, urging Nigeria to move beyond the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 to achieve true data sovereignty, build local computing infrastructure, own African datasets, and direct AI towards grassroots governance. Ardo emphasized the importance of Africa becoming an owner of intelligence rather than just a quarry in the intelligence age.