Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at the AI Health Summit 2026, organised by the Africa Hub for Innovation and Development.

The summit, themed “Catalyzing Country AI-in-Health Frameworks for Transformative Healthcare Systems,” brought attention to the opportunities and challenges involved in adopting AI solutions to improve healthcare delivery.

Salako said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was prioritising digital transformation as part of its Renewed Hope Agenda, with AI, data management systems and digital technologies expected to support better health outcomes.

He identified the Nigeria Digital Health Strategy, the Nigeria Digital-in-Health Initiative (NDHI) and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published in September 2025, as important policy frameworks supporting the country’s digital development agenda.

The minister also highlighted the National Digital Health Architecture, which is intended to provide a common technical framework for connecting health information systems and improving coordination across the country’s healthcare sector.

According to him, effective use of digital technology could improve decision-making, strengthen accountability, support service delivery and expand access to care, particularly for underserved communities.

Salako said AI applications could contribute to disease surveillance, diagnostic support, clinical decision-making, medical supply-chain management and health financing. If properly developed and deployed, such tools could help healthcare professionals work more efficiently while creating opportunities for investment, innovation and employment.

He also pointed to the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), under the National Information Technology Development Agency, as part of Nigeria’s broader AI development ecosystem.

The minister highlighted the Nigerian Atlas for Languages and AI at Scale (N-ATLAS), an open-source multilingual AI model designed to support languages including Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Nigerian-accented English.

He said locally relevant AI tools could help make health information more accessible to Nigerians who face language or literacy barriers, although their effectiveness will depend on careful development, testing and appropriate use.

Despite the opportunities, Salako acknowledged that the country faces significant challenges, including inadequate electricity supply, limited broadband connectivity in some areas, gaps in data governance and shortages of specialised digital skills.

He stressed the need to strengthen digital infrastructure, improve the quality of health data and establish systems that allow different health information platforms to communicate securely.

The minister also underscored the importance of patient privacy, transparency, accountability and ethical standards in the use of AI in healthcare. He said public trust would be essential to ensuring that digital health innovations are accepted and used responsibly.

Salako argued that the challenge was no longer simply to test new technologies but to build systems capable of delivering measurable improvements across the healthcare sector.

He said achieving that goal would require reliable digital infrastructure, quality data, interoperability standards, cybersecurity protections and a workforce equipped to use emerging technologies effectively.

The minister called for clear regulatory frameworks addressing patient safety, ethical use of clinical information, data anonymisation and consent. He also urged stronger partnerships among government institutions, private companies, universities, researchers and development organisations.

He emphasised that digital health initiatives must benefit rural communities and other underserved populations rather than widen existing inequalities in healthcare access.

Salako further encouraged medical and health training institutions to incorporate relevant digital skills and AI knowledge into their curricula, while urging researchers to produce evidence that can guide policy decisions and assess the real-world impact of new technologies.

He called on innovators to develop solutions suited to Nigeria’s healthcare needs, health professionals to embrace appropriate digital tools and development partners to align their support with national priorities.

The minister urged participants to ensure that the summit produced practical commitments and measurable outcomes rather than ending with discussions alone.

Nigeria’s push towards AI-enabled healthcare comes amid wider efforts to improve health information management and modernise service delivery. However, the long-term benefits will depend on effective implementation, responsible regulation, adequate funding and equal access to digital infrastructure.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia