How India’s First Global South AI Summit Could Reshape Nigeria’s AI Ambitions
India is set to host the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 19 to 20, marking a significant milestone in placing the Global South at the forefront of global artificial intelligence governance.
The event, announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, aims to rebalance AI governance, which has traditionally been dominated by advanced economies. The summit’s theme, derived from the Sanskrit maxim “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya” (welfare for all, happiness for all), emphasizes a vision of AI as a tool for inclusive development rather than an exclusive resource of technologically advanced nations.
Opportunities for Nigeria and Africa
For Nigeria and other African countries, the summit presents a vital opportunity to influence emerging global AI norms while exploring partnerships that align technology with development priorities. Abhishek Singh, the High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, stated that the summit is not merely a gathering of tech leaders and policymakers, but a platform confronting real-world challenges posed by the rapid expansion of AI, including:
- Job displacement
- Data sovereignty concerns
- The widening digital divide between nations
India’s approach, emphasizing the democratization of AI and expanding access to developing countries, is particularly relevant for Nigeria, where there is a growing demand for cost-effective and scalable AI solutions to support economic growth and public service delivery.
Three Foundational Pillars
The summit is structured around three foundational pillars, referred to as the Three Sutras, which guide its agenda:
- People Sutra: Frames AI as a tool for human progress that respects cultural diversity, protects human dignity, and ensures inclusivity in both its design and deployment.
- Planet Sutra: Emphasizes environmentally responsible AI development, a priority for African countries facing the impacts of climate change.
- Progress Sutra: Focuses on using AI to drive economic growth, social good, and job creation through broader access and innovation.
These principles are operationalized through seven interlinked ‘Chakras’, or spheres of cooperation, covering:
- Human capital development
- Social inclusion
- Safe and trusted AI
- Resilience
- Scientific advancement
- Democratization of AI resources
- Sustainable economic growth
Shared Development Enabler
A central message of the summit is that AI infrastructure should be viewed as a shared development enabler, rather than a monopoly controlled by a select few global players. This vision aligns with the IndiaAI Mission, which aims to build large-scale public AI infrastructure accessible to partner countries.
This approach mirrors India’s earlier successes in sharing digital public goods, such as the Aadhaar biometric identity system and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which have transformed financial inclusion and digital transactions.
Impact on Nigeria
For Nigeria, this model could lower barriers for developers, startups, and public institutions by reducing dependence on costly proprietary software and expensive foreign computing services, thereby fostering local innovation and the deployment of AI solutions.
The summit will highlight concrete AI applications in sectors critical to development, including:
- Agriculture: Improving crop yields for smallholder farmers
- Healthcare: Accelerating disease detection in under-resourced clinics
- Education: Personalized digital learning tools
- Energy: Smarter power-grid management
- Climate resilience: Enhanced disaster early-warning systems
These focus areas align closely with Nigeria’s policy objectives, including climate-smart agriculture, AI-assisted diagnostics in primary healthcare centers, and enhancing digital systems that support social services delivery.
The India–AI Impact Summit is crafted as an action-oriented platform, culminating in tangible outcomes such as a Leaders’ Declaration and frameworks for multilateral cooperation, distinguishing it from previous AI-focused gatherings that largely centered on dialogue alone.
