Nigeria has called for the adoption of human-centred artificial intelligence (AI) policies that safeguard jobs and workers’ rights while allowing technological innovation to support economic growth.
The call was made during the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), held from 1 to 12 June 2026 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where representatives of governments, employers, and workers from the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) 187 member states deliberated on issues including decent work in the platform economy, gender equality, and the impact of AI on employment.
Speaking at the conference, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, stressed the need for a balanced approach to AI adoption, warning that while the technology presents opportunities for productivity and economic development, it also poses risks to jobs and decent work.
“We therefore need a balanced approach that ensures that, while harnessing the benefits of AI, the attendant risks do not rob our societies of the gains of decent work,” Dingyadi said.
The minister noted that Nigeria has already begun integrating AI into public administration through the automation of civil service processes, while platform-based work and the gig economy continue to expand.
He emphasised that technological transformation must not come at the expense of workers’ livelihoods and dignity.
Also speaking, Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye,underscored the importance of protecting platform and gig workers in the evolving world of work.
“It’s important that we recognise that AI is here to stay, and the more governments and institutions like ours understand the implications of AI on workers, on the role of workers and the workplace, the more it is that we’re able to, of course, engage on relevant solutions to it, and I’m glad that the Minister touched on that.
“But importantly, it’s also to look at the treatment of platform workers and the gig economy to understand how to better provide support and what is required to assimilate them,” Faleye said.
Nigeria’s position at the conference reflects growing concerns among policymakers and labour stakeholders about the need to ensure that AI-driven transformation supports decent work, fair remuneration, and social protection, while preventing technological disruption from widening inequalities in the labour market.
