The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Ayodele Bakare, has called for a responsible, African-led digital future, urging stakeholders to prioritise ethical artificial intelligence and digital wellness rooted in African values. Speaking in a goodwill message at the Living Digital Africa Summit, Bakare stressed that Africans must actively shape digital transformation to reflect local cultures and societal needs. He highlighted the importance of inclusivity, saying technology should serve people, not the other way around. Experts at the summit echoed this, advocating for Afrocentric frameworks in digital design, mental health practices around tech use, and AI systems that align with African ethical norms. The discussions focused on building digital environments that respect indigenous knowledge, languages, and community structures. Bakare noted that digital policies should not be imported wholesale from other regions but adapted to African realities. The event brought together technologists, psychologists, and policymakers to explore sustainable, culturally aware digital practices.
When Dr. Ayodele Bakare says Africans must shape their own digital future, he is challenging the dominance of Western tech models in local innovation. This isn't just about culture—it means Nigerian startups like Andela and Flutterwave have a role in designing AI and digital platforms that reflect African behaviours, not just global defaults. If African digital wellness is to be more than a buzzword, it must influence how apps are built, how data is used, and who gets to define ethical tech. The real shift starts when Nigerian developers stop copying Silicon Valley and start coding Lagos.
