Experts have raised concerns over the growing use of artificial intelligence in Nigeria’s healthcare system, calling for stronger regulation and locally developed AI models to protect patients and improve the accuracy of medical decisions.
The experts spoke at a media briefing organised by the Africa Hub for Innovation & Development ahead of the Artificial Intelligence in Health Summit 2026, scheduled for October 19 and 20 in Abuja.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AHFID, Dr Kunle Kakanfo, said AI was already being used by doctors in Nigerian hospitals, making clear governance frameworks and professional safeguards urgent.
“Doctors in our hospitals are using AI right now,” Kakanfo said, adding that a study had shown high levels of ChatGPT use among doctors.
He said AI could help Nigeria address critical gaps in its healthcare workforce by improving diagnosis, efficiency and access to care, but warned that the technology would neither replace doctors nor solve the country’s healthcare challenges on its own.
Kakanfo said AI adoption must be guided by regulation, evidence and patient safety, particularly as Nigeria considers using the technology to tackle diseases such as tuberculosis.
He said AI-powered computer vision could help analyse chest X-rays for tuberculosis screening and reduce pressure on Nigeria’s limited pool of radiographers and radiologists.
According to him, Nigeria records an estimated 510,000 tuberculosis cases annually, giving the country one of the highest TB burdens globally and the highest in Africa.
Kakanfo also raised concerns about Nigeria’s dependence on AI systems trained mainly on foreign datasets, saying such models might not always provide accurate results for Nigerian and African populations.
He called for increased investment in locally generated health data and Nigerian-owned AI models that reflect the country’s healthcare realities.
One initiative highlighted at the briefing involves hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory collecting cough sounds which could eventually be used to develop AI models for detecting tuberculosis.
Similar approaches, the organisers said, could be explored for other conditions, including neonatal sepsis.
Kakanfo said the objective should be to move beyond importing AI tools towards developing technologies based on African data and needs.
He also noted that more than 70 per cent of Nigerians still pay for healthcare out of pocket, underscoring the need for technologies that can improve access and efficiency without compromising patient safety.
Senior Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Abiola Oshunniyi, said Nigeria needed to bridge the gap between its expanding technology ecosystem and healthcare needs.
Oshunniyi said AI should be integrated into existing health policies, legislation and national planning, rather than developed in isolation.
He said the technology could be deployed in disease surveillance, outbreak prediction and the preparation of medical countermeasures.
According to him, Nigeria also needs a system through which locally developed health technologies can be evaluated, adopted and scaled by government.
Oshunniyi said Nigerian solutions should not only meet international standards but should eventually be suitable for deployment across Africa.
Technology law counsel at AHFID/AI4SID and summit coordinator, Liss Yori, said patient welfare must remain at the centre of AI adoption.
Yori warned that the rapid development of AI applications could expose patients to risks if developers prioritised technological advancement without adequate safeguards for data, privacy and welfare.
“When we have the use of AI, we know that it can go either ways,” she said, stressing the need for responsible and ethical deployment.
The organisers said the October summit would focus on AI regulation, data sovereignty, validation of medical AI tools, synthetic data, federated learning and procurement standards.
They also want government agencies and private healthcare providers to have clearer procurement pathways to prevent them from becoming dependent on imported technologies that may not be suited to Nigeria’s needs.
The summit is expected to bring together health professionals, technology experts, regulators, government agencies and development partners, including representatives of the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, GIZ and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
According to the organisers, the meeting is expected to produce a national roadmap for AI in healthcare, alongside policy recommendations and commitments from participating organisations.
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