CJID gives AI advocacy grants to 7 groups for better governance in Nigeria

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has chosen seven civil society organisations to receive new AI advocacy grants. This is part of the Nigeria AI Collective's efforts to create a responsible and inclusive AI environment in Nigeria.

The chosen organisations are TechHer, Cedar Foundation for Disability, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Nest Africa AI Innovation Lab, Webfala Digital Skill for All Initiative, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), and Dataphyte Foundation. In the coming weeks, each group will carry out advocacy projects based on their skills, target communities, and important areas in Nigeria's growing AI scene.

These organisation-based advocacy projects mark the next step in the AI Collective Community of Practice engagement. This initiative brings together over 600 members to improve AI knowledge, encourage teamwork, support new ideas, and push for responsible AI governance across Nigeria.

Members of the Community of Practice include civil society organisations, media and journalism experts, researchers, tech professionals, students, and new entrants in the field. These groups learn, share ideas, and engage in advocacy, focusing on specific sectors.

The new grants build on an earlier phase of group-based CSO advocacy engagement. During this phase, civil society organisations worked together to create and carry out joint advocacy plans around common AI goals. This collaboration allowed them to share their knowledge and engage with different communities.

The new phase allows selected organisations to independently plan and carry out advocacy projects that focus on their areas of interest. While the previous phase focused on teamwork, this one gives organisations the ability and resources to pursue specific actions while staying connected to the broader Community of Practice.

The projects aim to improve the public's understanding of AI, responsible use of technology, digital inclusion, citizen engagement, information integrity, policy awareness, and accountability in AI development and use. The organisations will also share their experiences and lessons learned with the Community of Practice to help others learn and replicate successful strategies.

This phased approach shows the AI Collective's larger strategy for developing the ecosystem. It brings people together through a Community, encourages teamwork, and helps organisations translate shared lessons into their own projects.

Akintunde Babatunde, Executive Director, said, “At CJID, we see artificial intelligence as one of the defining public-interest issues of our time. Building an inclusive AI ecosystem requires more than technological innovation; it requires informed citizens, capable civil society organisations, evidence-based policy engagement, and sustained collaboration across sectors. Through the Nigeria AI Collective, we are investing in organisations that can translate these principles into practical action within their communities, helping ensure that AI development in Nigeria is innovative, accountable, and serves the public interest.”

Good AI governance needs civil society organisations to go beyond just being part of the conversation. They must help educate the public, ensure accountability, and contribute to policy development.

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping public life, but the direction of that transformation should not be determined by technology companies and governments alone. Civil society organisations have an important role to play in helping communities understand these technologies, identifying their implications, and ensuring that AI systems serve the public interest.

Through the Community of Practice, we have supported organisations to learn together and undertake collective advocacy. This next phase enables them to build on that experience by designing interventions that reflect their own expertise and the needs of the communities they serve.”