Experts in technology and healthcare have called for the development and adoption of trusted, locally developed and human-centred artificial intelligence solutions to address challenges confronting Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The call was made during a pre-summit webinar on AI in health, organised by the Africa Hub for Innovation and Development (AFHID), where stakeholders examined the opportunities and risks associated with deploying emerging technologies in the sector.
Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Health Africa (AHA), Abimbola Adebakin, stressed that trust would be critical to the successful adoption of AI in healthcare, describing health as a “low-forgiveness sector.”
According to her, a single confusing or inappropriate response from an AI system could undermine users’ confidence, making it important for developers to introduce the technology gradually and ensure that its operations are transparent and reversible.
Adebakin said Advantage Health Africa had adopted familiar platforms in developing its myMedicines service, including WhatsApp, allowing users to interact through channels they already understand before introducing AI-driven processes.
She explained that the company had also automated order processing and customer engagement through its website because the platform was already familiar to its users.
The discussions highlighted the importance of building AI solutions around the realities of Nigerian patients and healthcare workers rather than simply importing technologies developed for other environments.
The experts’ call comes as AI adoption in Nigerian healthcare gathers momentum. Recent initiatives include an AI programme launched by MTN Group Foundation and the Gates Foundation to support maternal healthcare, with plans to reach 500,000 women, equip 5,000 frontline health workers and support 500 health facilities by 2030.
Experts have also emphasised the importance of local languages, cultural understanding, transparency and human oversight in healthcare AI. Research involving more than 11,000 Nigerian adults found that willingness to use AI was particularly lower in health-related situations than in several other areas, underscoring the importance of trust in deployment.
The stakeholders therefore urged innovators and policymakers to prioritise systems that complement healthcare professionals while remaining understandable and responsive to patients’ needs.
AFHID Seek Trusted, Human-Centred AI Solutions for Nigeria’s Healthcare
