Africa’s rapid adoption of artificial intelligence risks reinforcing existing social and economic inequalities unless governments deliberately integrate behavioural economics into AI policy design, an Africa AI transformations coach and thought leader, Adeoye Abodunrin, said.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lagos, Abodunrin said many AI strategies across the continent remain overly focused on infrastructure, software acquisition and regulatory frameworks; while underestimating how human behaviour, trust, incentives and cultural norms shape the real-world impact of technology.
“AI will only deliver inclusive growth in Africa if systems are designed around how Africans think, decide, trust and adapt,” he said. “Without behavioural insight, AI policies may appear sophisticated on paper but fail in practice, particularly for low-income and marginalised communities.”
He argued that behavioural economics provides governments with tools to design AI-enabled reforms that reflect local realities, especially in areas such as digital identity, financial inclusion, healthcare delivery, education, taxation and public service transformation.
According to Abodunrin, technology-led reforms that overlook behavioural factors often struggle with low uptake, mistrust and uneven outcomes, even when the underlying systems are technically sound.
“Behavioural intelligence is what turns AI from a shiny tool into a development engine,” he said. “Africa does not lack ideas or talent. What is often missing is alignment, aligning technology with behaviour, culture and incentives.”
His remarks come as Nigeria and other African economies record strong growth in AI usage. Citing data from the Google and Ipsos report “Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People”, Abodunrin noted that Nigeria is emerging as a global leader in AI adoption, offering a case study of both opportunity and risk.
According to the report, 93 per cent of Nigerians use AI tools to learn and understand complex topics, compared with a global average of 74 per cent. About 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, far above the global average of 62 per cent, while 91 per cent use AI to support their work.
In addition, 80 per cent of Nigerians leverage AI to explore new business ideas or career transitions, nearly double the global average of 42 per cent, while 91 per cent believe AI is positively impacting learning and access to information.
“These numbers show that Nigerians are not passive users of AI; they are actively integrating it into learning, work and entrepreneurship,” Abodunrin said. “But high adoption does not automatically translate into inclusive growth.”
He warned that without behaviour-led policy frameworks, AI-driven systems could unintentionally exclude citizens who lack trust in digital platforms, face literacy barriers or operate outside formal economic structures.
Abodunrin urged African governments, regulators and public institutions to embed behavioural science into AI governance and policy formulation, invest in AI literacy and skills development, and promote ethical, human-centred AI that reflects Africa’s social and cultural diversity.
“AI should amplify African strengths, not widen existing divides,” he said. “In the AI era, behavioural insight is not optional; it is fundamental to inclusive growth, innovation and social impact.”
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