AI Governance, Digital Dependency, and Institutional Autonomy in Nigerian Higher Education: An International Relations Perspective

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a significant role in the technological, economic and political relations on a global scale. As it becomes more common in higher education, it calls into question issues of education technology but also issues of international political economy, technological dependency, and autonomy of institutions. In this paper, the researcher looks at AI governance in Nigerian higher education through the lens of International Relations (IR), and considers the connection between global technological power, digital dependency, institutional capacity, and institutional autonomy. This paper takes a qualitative conceptual approach using peer-reviewed literature, international and regional policy frameworks and Nigerian AI-governance documents. It takes an International Political Economy and dependency lens to argue that the global structure of technological production, platforms, data and expertise, which is unequal, influences the governance of AI in Nigerian universities as much as domestic institutional capacity. Relying on external AI systems can lead to efficiencies, but also to issues of transparency and accountability, as well as data management and institutional independence. The paper also places Nigeria's AI governance in the context of the evolving global and African regulatory landscape like UNESCO's AI-education framework and the African Union Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Nigeria's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. It calls on Nigerian universities to build necessary technical, regulatory and organisational capacity to regulate technologies whose infrastructures are controlled by other actors. The paper concludes that the capacity strengthening and regional cooperation and digital sovereignty are key factors to supporting the adoption of AI in enhancing institutional autonomy in Nigeria, rather than perpetuating the technological asymmetry already present in the world.