| Josephine Akarue
A Professor of Law and Technology at Babcock University, Prof. Olubukola Olugasa, says Nigeria needs to establish a robust legal framework that balances technological innovation with societal responsibility to ensure data sovereignty, strengthen digital governance, and national security.
He made the submission while delivering the University’s 59th inaugural lecture titled “The Quest for Return to Eden: Balancing Technological Acceleration with Legal Safeguards for Long-term Societal Responsibility.”
He warned that without clear legal safeguards, technology risks outpacing ethics and accountability.
“Data sovereignty is a critical aspect of national security and economic independence in the digital age. It is time Nigeria developed exclusive broadband akin to the Dangote’s refinery achievement,” he said.
Prof. Olugasa also stressed responsible integration of law and technology in systems like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), while urging Nigeria and the Global South to chart innovative, culturally attuned technological pathways rather than replicating Western models.
He stressed the need for strengthening energy capacity by integrating diverse sources into the national grid, backed by legal frameworks as well as constitutional amendments to recognize and integrate indigenous laws.
Aside these, he recommended the overhauling of existing legislation to meet the demands of digital governance and the enactment of laws to regulate agriculture for better yields and minimize use of paper.
Concluding, Prof. Olugasa urged Nigeria to forge its own trajectory in digital development: “Nigeria, alongside the Global South, should not simply trail Western technological pathways but instead position to create innovative alternatives.”