By Gloria Ikibah
The ECOWAS Parliament is weighing the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency in its legislative work across the West African region.
Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, gave an indication of this policy direction during the closing session of the 2025 Second Parliamentary Seminar with the theme: “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Parliamentary Efficiency, Ethical Governance and Development in the ECOWAS Region”, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday.
The three days gathering featured expert presentations, panel discussions, and strong debates among parliamentarians on the benefits of AI for legislative duties, while also stressing the need for effective regulation to manage associated risks.
Speaker Ibrahima who was represented by the Fourth Deputy Speaker, Hon. Billay Tunkara, noted that the rise of AI could not be ignored. She said the technology is already reshaping the future of West African economies, society, and governance.
“The AI revolution is irreversible. In a short time, it is redefining and transforming the future of our region.
“Within a short time, AI has moved beyond the realm of science fiction to become a powerful force in our world driving many changes in all areas of life. At the same time it is challenging our shared values and fundamental human rights.
“AI when properly harnessed by parliament will ensure informed deliberation, optimized legislation and enhanced parliamentary oversight.
“It provides us with the means to make our work more efficient, more transparent and more responsive to citizens’ expectations. It is up to us all to embrace this tool, train our staff and adopt our regulations and rules of procedures to accommodate this new technology,” the Speaker said.
According to Ibrahima, the seminar marks the starting point for a collective and decisive approach to AI by ECOWAS Parliament, even as she expressed optimism that recommendations from the meeting will translate to concrete and ambitious action plans.
Deliberating on the matter, lawmakers acknowledged the necessity of the technology in the current global evolution, but expressed concerns about the threats it poses and urged a cautious approach to its adoption in order not to harm the region that is characterized by vulnerabilities associated with little infrastructure.
But as the region grapples with the reality of AI, it has to find ways to domesticate it and navigate the delicate balance between embracing AI’s transformative potential and preserving the human -centered values that underpins democratic governance.