ICSAN demands national AI governance

The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria has called for the establishment of a national compact on artificial intelligence governance to ensure ethical, transparent, and accountable deployment of the technology across corporate and public institutions.

Speaking at the 49th Annual Conference of the institute in Lagos recently, themed ‘Reimagining Governance: Navigating the Artificial Intelligence Revolution for Excellence’, ICSAN said the adoption of AI must be guided by principles that safeguard organisational integrity while boosting efficiency and public trust.

Delivering the keynote address, Group Executive Director of Chams Holding Company, Femi Oyenuga, stressed that AI should not be seen as an operational add-on but as a governance inflection point that requires urgent systemic oversight.

He explained that a national compact would bring together regulators, government, the private sector, academia, and civil society to articulate common principles and minimum standards for AI deployment in Nigeria. According to him, this multi-stakeholder approach is necessary to mitigate risks such as bias, data privacy breaches, regulatory capture, and concentration of power in a few hands.

Oyenuga identified three pillars for effective AI governance: stewardship in design and deployment, accountability through oversight and redress mechanisms, and capability, which encompasses skills, data governance, and technical infrastructure. He emphasised that Chartered Secretaries and ICSAN occupy a unique convening role across all three pillars.

The President and Chairman of the ICSAN Council, Uto Ukpanah, also reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to leading discussions on AI governance, noting that Nigeria must be proactive in creating frameworks that balance innovation with ethical safeguards.

She said the institute would continue to promote capacity building for its members through training on AI literacy, ethics, and algorithmic risk management while advocating the inclusion of AI governance responsibilities in board charters.

The conference also recommended the establishment of an ICSAN Centre for Digital Governance to serve as a hub for training, advisory services, and policy development tools that can guide organisations in their AI adoption journey.

Also, the Chairman of Seplat Energy, Udoma Udoma, commended the Institute for its continued contribution to corporate governance and administration in Nigeria, while stressing the growing importance of artificial intelligence in governance and business processes.

Speaking as Chairman of the Conference, Udoma noted that the Nigerian government had already started exploring its use in public administration. He cited the unveiling of ServiceWise GPS, an AI-driven public administration tool, at the 2025 Global Government Summit in Singapore by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

He praised ICSAN members for their role in promoting excellence in governance and administration, noting that the institute’s leadership in examining AI as a governance issue aligns with Nigeria’s long-term needs.