FG Builds Digital Backbone To Power AI-Driven Healthcare
By STELLA JOHNSON OGBOVOVEH
THE Federal Government says it is strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the health system for improved service delivery, data sharing, and disease surveillance.
Dr. Leke Ojewale, Senior Technical Advisor to the Coordinating Minister of Health on Digital Health, disclosed this in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop on AI for Public Health, organised by AI4SID and partners.
Ojewale said the ministry is developing the Nigerian Digital Health Architecture (NDHA) to unify AI tools through national registries for patients, facilities, and health workers, and a Health Information Exchange that enables secure data sharing and innovation.
Experts at the workshop, including Dr. Francis Ohanyido of the West African Institute of Public Health and Dr. Bunmi Ajala of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, highlighted AI’s potential to improve diagnosis, disease surveillance, and workforce efficiency if used responsibly.
They urged ethical standards, data protection, and human oversight to ensure safety and trust.
AI4SID founder, Dr. Kunle Kakanfo, said the group is promoting “AI for social good” through training and partnerships that expand healthcare access and innovation nationwide.
The event also paved the way for Nigeria’s first National AI in Health Conference, slated for May 2026 in Abuja.
