•National Assembly pledges new laws to deploy AI for diagnosis, disease surveillance
As global health systems race to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) for faster diagnosis, disease surveillance and more efficient service delivery, the Federal Government has announced plans to build a digital health backbone that will enable hospitals nationwide to integrate AI tools into routine patient care.
The commitment was unveiled at a capacity-building workshop on AI for public health organised by the Africa Hub for Innovation and Development and the West African Institute of Public Health.
Senior Technical Advisor to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare on Digital Health, Dr Leke Ojiawole, said Nigeria is now laying the “foundational digital architecture” required to scale AI in healthcare.
The system, he explained, rests on three pillars: a national client registry linked to the National Identity Number (NIN), a health facility registry, and a healthcare worker registry.
“We need to know the true identity of the patient you are treating, the facility where they are being treated, and the healthcare worker providing that care,” he said. “These are the building blocks for health information exchange and shared health records powered by AI.”
Director-General of the West African Institute of Public Health, Dr Francis Ohanyido, argued that far from replacing workers, AI will reward those who upgrade their skills and displace those who do not.
“AI is not coming to take people’s jobs,” he said. “People who fail to learn how to use AI effectively will lose their jobs. Nigeria must be intentional in how it engages AI through awareness, regulatory guardrails and measures to prevent misuse, especially misinformation, image manipulation and data privacy violations.”
He projected that Africa’s AI industry could be worth between $13 billion and $18 billion by 2030, with Nigeria positioned to lead if it builds a strong ecosystem. “If we get AI right, the economy will grow, and even some of the health workers migrating will return,” he said.
The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) also highlighted the growing role of AI in diagnostics, drug discovery, logistics management, personalised treatment and epidemic intelligence.
The National Director, Dr Bunmi Ajala, said the government is adopting a “human-in-the-loop” model to ensure trust, safety and accountability.
Founder of the Africa Hub for Innovation and Development, Dr Kunle Kakanfo, said the workshop trained participants from more than 40 health and development organisations on responsible AI applications in public health.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has pledged that the National Assembly will enact laws to expand digital healthcare services, including telemedicine, electronic medical records and AI-driven diagnostics.
Speaking at the 6th Legislative Summit on Health, he said a national digital backbone linking primary healthcare centres to tertiary hospitals is essential for continuity of care and transparency.
“We will modernise health laws to reflect global best practice and ensure the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) reaches every community,” he said.
Akpabio underscored the urgency of halting the exodus of health professionals, saying: “The soul of a health system is in its people. The flight of our healers must end, for a nation that exports its best minds and imports its own medicines has lost its balance.”
He added that “innovation is not an accessory; it is our lifeline,” insisting that every health facility must become part of a live network of data and service.
Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, reaffirmed efforts to widen the fiscal space for health, strengthen accountability, and prioritise reforms that accelerate universal health coverage. This includes improving the National Health Insurance Authority Act and ensuring that vulnerable Nigerians are covered.
Banigo also pushed for health taxes such as the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax to be earmarked for essential services, and for stronger oversight to ensure that allocations produce measurable results.
