Nigerian Businesses Lead the World in Responsible AI Adoption and Privacy Protection – Zoho Study
Nigerian companies are emerging as global frontrunners in combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) with robust privacy protections, according to new research commissioned by Zoho. The study, “The AI Privacy Equation: The Nigerian Model of Responsible AI Adoption,” highlights how organisations across the country are not only embracing AI but doing so responsibly — setting a model for the rest of the world.
Zoho revealed these findings at Zoholics Nigeria 2025, its annual user conference held in Lagos. Speaking at the event, Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head for Zoho Nigeria, said the company has seen 75 per cent customer growth in Nigeria in 2024, underscoring the market’s appetite for technology-driven solutions. “This study proves Nigerian businesses are leading the way in responsible AI adoption, tempering innovation with privacy measures,” Ogundare noted.
The research surveyed 386 Nigerian organisations and found that 93 per cent have already started their AI journey, with nearly a third achieving advanced AI integration across their operations. Over 84 per cent of respondents strengthened privacy measures after implementing AI, and 66 per cent described these improvements as “significant” — signalling that AI and data protection are advancing hand in hand.
What sets Nigeria apart, the report notes, is strong executive commitment. More than half of respondents are CEOs or senior executives, driving AI adoption from the top down. 94 per cent of organisations now have a dedicated privacy officer or team, far above global averages, and 40 per cent allocate over 30 per cent of their IT budgets to privacy protection — treating strong governance as a competitive advantage, not a burden.
The financial sector is at the forefront of this shift, representing nearly a third of all respondents. Their top AI use cases include customer service automation (49 per cent), software development (46 per cent), and marketing optimisation (32 per cent) — all built with privacy-by-design principles. As Nigerian businesses scale these practices, the country is steadily becoming a benchmark for how emerging markets can innovate responsibly while safeguarding consumer trust.
source: tribune