India-AI impact summit 2026 to open new avenues for Nigeria-India cooperation - Envoy
India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Abhishek Singh, has said the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit 2026 will create concrete opportunities for bilateral cooperation between both countries in the field of
India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Abhishek Singh, has said the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit 2026 will create concrete opportunities for bilateral cooperation between both countries in the field of artificial intelligence.
The summit, scheduled for February 19–20, 2026, in New Delhi, will be the first global artificial intelligence summit to be hosted in the Global South.
Singh noted that the event aligns with Nigeria’s longstanding position on the need to reform global institutions and ensure fairer representation of African voices in international decision-making processes.
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He said a strong Nigerian delegation comprising representatives of government, the private sector, and academia would carry both technical and symbolic importance.
“There are clear opportunities for bilateral cooperation,” he said. “India has built a reputation as a software powerhouse and a global leader in low-cost, efficient, and scalable digital public infrastructure, while Nigeria is West Africa’s largest economy with a vibrant technology ecosystem.”
The envoy identified several potential areas of collaboration, including joint development of open-source artificial intelligence tools, co-creation of datasets that reflect African realities, academic partnerships between universities in both countries, and increased cooperation among start-ups.
He noted that partnerships could emerge in sectors such as fintech, healthtech, and agritech, where both countries have active innovation communities.
According to Singh, the summit represents a significant shift in the way developing nations shape global AI policy and discourse, with far-reaching implications for Nigeria and the wider African continent.
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He added that the event is anchored on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra, “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya,” which translates to welfare for all and happiness for all, describing it as a theme that resonates with aspirations across Africa.
“The Summit represents far more than a gathering of technology leaders and policy makers. It reflects a commitment to amplify the positive impact of AI while addressing urgent challenges posed by its rapid proliferation, including employment disruption, data sovereignty, widening digital divide,” he said.
He further added, “Finally, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 offers a glimpse of an emerging world in which artificial intelligence is not just a commercial or technological opportunity; it will significantly alter and impact the future of our world. And therefore, the deliberations and decisions taken during this Summit on access to shared infrastructure, rules for safe deployment, trust, and the balance between openness and control – will shape whether AI deepens existing divides or becomes a tool for broad-based human development across the world. The India–AI Impact Summit 2026 is not just India's achievement—it is a moment for the Global South that opens doors for Nigeria and Africa to reshape how technology serves humanity.”
