Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Judges, Lawyers and technology experts have called for stronger safeguards, human oversight and clear governance frameworks as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into Nigeria’s justice system and wider public life.
The call was made in Port Harcourt at the Legal Excellence & AI Leadership Symposium, held alongside the AI Justice Hackathon 2026 and the official launch of “AI, Justice and the Rule of Law: The Denton-West Principles for AI Governance, Digital Sovereignty and Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria”, edited by Lawyer and legal-technology researcher, Obele Tom-George Akinniranye.
The events formed part of activities marking the 80th birthday of Chief Hon. Justice Sotonye Denton-West, JCA (Emeritus), a former Justice of the Court of Appeal. The programme brought together members of the Judiciary, legal practitioners, academics, technology professionals and other stakeholders, to examine the implications of AI for justice and constitutional governance.
Speaking on the book, Akinniranye said responsible AI adoption required governance policies and widespread AI literacy before, during and after deployment.
“One of the safeguards that I have spoken about in the book is ensuring that, at pre-deployment, post-deployment and whilst deploying tools, you have governance policies”, she said. She added that organisations adopting AI, should ensure that users and operators understood the technology and its limitations.
“AI literacy is topmost for the people basically thinking about this deployment”, Akinniranye said.
On liability when an AI-assisted system causes harm, she argued that responsibility should ordinarily remain with the humans and institutions deploying or using the technology, while developers could also bear responsibility depending on the circumstances.
“AI are more or less tools. They are tools”, she said, drawing an analogy with the use of automobiles. “The person deploying the tool, the person using the tool, would be responsible as opposed to the tool.”
Akinniranye also advocated stronger institutional structures to guide AI deployment in Nigeria, including governance committees and clearly defined policies for addressing problems when they arise. She noted that the book was inspired by her mother and the principles she associated with her life, including transparency, explainability, interoperability, fairness and non-bias. She further proposed what she described as a “five-way traffic” conception of justice, expanding the traditional relationship among the people, law and institutions to include data, AI systems and people affected by the application of law.
Justice Olasumbo Olanrewaju Goodluck, one of the panellists, said AI could assist the Judiciary, but should not displace constitutional obligations or judicial responsibility.
“Whatever the situation may be when it comes to artificial intelligence, the rule of law, the Constitution cannot be negotiated”, she said.
She urged Judges to exercise caution where Lawyers’ submissions or research materials may have been produced with AI assistance, stressing that judicial decisions must remain grounded in established law, evidence and the Judge’s constitutional responsibilities.
Justice Obietonbara Owupele Daniel-Kalio similarly called for “human control and guardrails”, particularly in relation to deepfakes, manipulated evidence and other risks associated with increasingly sophisticated AI systems. He said AI could improve efficiency and provide useful analytical support, but warned against excessive dependence on automated systems in the administration of justice.
“Human beings need to be in control and not artificial intelligence”, Daniel-Kalio said. He advocated an approach in which AI provides analytical and efficiency benefits, while leaving room for human judgement and discretion.
Justice Sotonye Denton-West, the celebrant, said her experience of AI had reinforced the need for caution, as technology becomes more prominent in legal decision-making.
Reflecting on an early encounter with a driverless vehicle, she said the experience prompted her to think about the implications of increasingly autonomous technology. She expressed concern that judicial actors could rely excessively on AI-generated material without independently evaluating the underlying facts, law and circumstances of a case.
“AI is something wonderful”, she said, while stressing the importance of balancing technological innovation with human judgement.
Representing the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Tamunoigoni Susan Oji, at the event, commended the initiative and described the book’s focus on AI and justice as timely.
The Keynote Address, delivered on behalf of the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah, also highlighted digital sovereignty, judicial preparedness and constitutional safeguards. Represented by Mr Daniel Onu, Zannah noted that Nigeria’s emerging AI governance framework must address issues including algorithmic bias, automated decision-making, cybersecurity, privacy, data governance, intellectual property, digital evidence and liability. He further argued that technological modernisation should strengthen rather than weaken judicial independence, access to justice and fundamental rights.
The Keynote stressed that AI should augment human leadership rather than replace it, noting that while machines can analyse data and identify patterns, questions of purpose, ethical judgement, empathy and constitutional responsibility remain fundamentally human responsibilities.
The symposium and book launch followed the AI Justice Hackathon 2026, themed “Designing Responsible AI for Justice, Governance and Digital Sovereignty in Africa”. The hackathon brought together law students, Lawyers, researchers, developers and AI professionals to explore technology-based solutions for legal information, legal aid, dispute resolution and access to justice.