The Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRCA) has urged the government to regulate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to prevent potential harm while harnessing its benefits.
Religious leaders highlighted that AI, provided by God to simplify human activities, can cause significant damage if left unchecked. They stressed that Nigeria, along with other African nations, must control what enters their technological environment and set standards for its use.
In collaboration with the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the coalition made these remarks during a one-day training on AI ethics held in Abuja on Thursday, the 5th of March, 2026.
The program is aimed to equip journalists with knowledge on responsible AI use, ethical considerations, and emerging digital standards.
The coalition emphasized that religious leaders should have a formal role in shaping AI regulations.
Rt. Rev. Evans Onyemara, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria, noted that humans are made in the image of God and hold a unique place in creation. He said humans should oversee all things and maintain order in the universe.
“So we believe that human beings should deploy things like artificial intelligence in ways that will enhance the common good and our existence and not put us into harm or harm’s way. It is therefore important that the country adopts strategies and regulations that will ensure that the use of AI in the country is properly regulated.
“We can regulate what we use in Nigeria, and we can also help to co-create the kind of AI that we require and need for our use as a nation.”
When asked about the use of AI in a scriptural context, Onyemara responded: “Well, I wouldn’t want you to push me to that philosophy of saying AI should be used scripturally, because what we are asking for is ethical use. And when we talk about ethics, we are looking at the rightness and wrongness of every action.”
READ ALSO: Kwara Launches 2026 Coding And Digital Literacy Programme For Schools
Mallam Yusuf Ahmed Bida, Administrative Secretary of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, outlined four key principles for AI use from an Islamic perspective. He said AI must be used sincerely, without abuse, and in ways that do not harm individuals or the community.
“It should not harm you yourself,” he stressed.
Bida added that AI deployment must avoid mistrust or problems and should be guided by mercy and accountability. He reminded us that humans are accountable for how they engage with AI, just as they are in other aspects of life.
He further called on the government to recognize the risks of AI. “They should not open up Nigerian space. When I say Nigerian space, I mean the Nigerian technological space, to all sorts of things. There should be serious checks on the part of the government.
“Not everything should be deployed into the Nigerian technological space or science and technology sector. There should be serious scrutiny. Government must be firm in its decisions on matters of AI. If not, it will be disruptive in the near future, just as we have seen in some countries where even the use of AI for research has been seriously regulated.”