Nigeria’s Tinubu Calls for Global AI Ethics and Fair Mineral Trade at G20 Summit
[Suggested image placeholder: G20 leaders at a conference table]
JOHANNESBURG – Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has urged the G20 to establish global ethical standards for artificial intelligence, warning that the rapidly advancing technology must serve humanity rather than deepen global inequalities. The call came during a summit session dedicated to creating a fair future through responsible management of critical minerals, labor, and AI.
AI Must Empower, Not Exclude
In a speech delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Third Session of the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit, President Tinubu positioned Nigeria as a supporter of international AI governance. He emphasized that while AI holds immense potential to accelerate global development, it must not become a tool of marginalization.
“Nigeria supports the creation of global ethical standards for AI that uphold safety, transparency and equity,” Tinubu stated. “We must ensure that AI becomes a tool of empowerment, not exclusion; of job creation, not displacement.”
The Nigerian leader called for deliberate partnerships between developed and developing nations, as well as between public and private sectors, to guarantee inclusive technological progress. He stressed that the G20 must address systemic bias and foster sustained multilateral dialogue to ensure AI benefits are shared equitably and risks are responsibly managed.
Africa Demands Value Addition for Critical Minerals
Turning to Africa’s natural resources, President Tinubu delivered a strong message about economic justice in the global minerals trade. He argued that Africa must no longer remain merely a supplier of raw materials while value addition happens elsewhere.
“Nigeria calls for a global framework that promotes value addition at the source, supports local beneficiation, and ensures that communities hosting these resources are not left behind,” he said.
Tinubu framed the issue in moral terms, stating that the matter “reaches far beyond the narrow arithmetic of economics and speaks to the moral character of the world we aspire to build.” He stressed that responsible extraction, fairness, and accountability are essential to ensure shared prosperity from Africa’s mineral wealth.
Broader Call for Financial Architecture Reform
In separate interventions at the summit, President Tinubu demanded an overhaul of global financial frameworks, noting that many multilateral structures were “built in an era far removed from today’s challenges.”
He warned that rising debt burdens continue to drag developing nations “into cycles of fragility,” turning local obstacles into global vulnerabilities. The Nigerian leader emphasized that Africa’s development depends on the world’s commitment to fairer financing systems and prudent mineral governance.
“The continent cannot rise on the wings of aspiration alone,” Tinubu stated. “We must confront the urgent need for sustainable financing to ensure the effective implementation of our developmental priorities.”
Domestic Preparations for Technological Future
The President noted that under Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the country is investing aggressively in digital literacy, vocational training, and youth entrepreneurship to prepare citizens for the future of work. He described decent work as “the anchor that makes these transitions fair, inclusive, and sustainable” and “the foundation of development that ensures every person has the opportunity to contribute, thrive, and share in national prosperity.”
The summit appearance came after President Tinubu had postponed his scheduled trips to the G20 and AU-EU summits citing “security breaches” in Kebbi and Kwara States, with Vice President Shettima ultimately representing Nigeria at the Johannesburg gathering.
Source: https://nairametrics.com/2025/11/22/g20-tinubu-pushes-for-global-ethical-standards-for-ai/