By Tukur Garba Arab

More than 800 professionals across Africa applied. Fifty-five graduated.

The OpenSchool Initiative has concluded its Pan-African AI Governance Fellowship, marking what organizers describe as a deliberate effort to strengthen the continent’s capacity to regulate and oversee artificial intelligence systems as adoption accelerates across sectors.

The four-month programme, delivered in collaboration with Cosmopolitan University, System Strategy and Policy Lab, and Tanzeel, selected just over 70 participants through a competitive process spanning 22 countries. Fifty-five completed the Fellowship.

The initiative comes amid growing global concern over AI safety, regulatory fragmentation, and the concentration of technological influence among a handful of major economies. African policymakers have increasingly emphasized the need for governance frameworks tailored to the continent’s legal systems, economic structures, and developmental priorities.

The Fellowship was co-led by Engr. Abba Muhammad Gadanya, and. Najeeb G. Abdulhamid, a lead volunteer with OpenSchool, who structured the governance and regulatory framework underpinning the training.

Participants engaged with algorithmic accountability, risk classification models, public-sector AI procurement safeguards, cross-border regulatory coordination, and policy harmonization strategies. Capstone projects included draft national AI policy frameworks and sector-specific governance models designed for institutional consideration.

The closing ceremony was held virtually and featured Keynote remarks from Catherine Muraga, Managing Director of Microsoft’s Africa Development Center, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Organizers framed the Fellowship as part of a broader shift from AI adoption toward AI governance. “Africa must not remain a consumer of artificial intelligence. We must become architects of its governance,” Gadanya said during the closing ceremony.

Observers note that while major AI regulatory frameworks are being shaped in the United States, the European Union, and China, African governments face the dual challenge of accelerating digital transformation while building institutional oversight capacity.

By convening policymakers, engineers, academics, and civil society actors, OpenSchool aims to develop a distributed governance network capable of contributing to national and regional AI policy development.

The graduation marks the end of the current cohort. Organizers say future iterations of the programme are under consideration.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has issued an urgent appeal to the newly appointed acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, urging him to make press freedom and the safety of journalists a cornerstone of his leadership.

IPI Nigeria, in a statement, urged Disu to immediately halt the harassment, intimidation, and attacks against journalists that marked the tenure of his predecessor, Mr Kayode Egbetokun.

Under Egbetokun’s leadership, journalists were reportedly harassed, unlawfully detained, and in some cases assaulted while performing their constitutional duties.

“The police, as a critical institution in a democratic society, have a constitutional responsibility to uphold the fundamental rights of all Nigerians, including freedom of expression and the press,” the organisation said in the statement signed by Musikilu Mojeed, President of IPI Nigeria, and Tobi Soniyi, Legal Adviser.

IPI Nigeria specifically urged the new police chief to end all forms of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of journalists; review and withdraw pending cases targeting journalists for legitimate professional work; introduce a reorientation programme for police personnel focused on press freedom and human rights; and establish clear communication channels between the police and media stakeholders to prevent and resolve conflicts.

IPI Nigeria noted that persistent violations under the previous administration led to Mr Egbetokun being included in its “Book of Infamy,” a record of individuals and institutions whose actions or inaction facilitated attacks on press freedom in Nigeria.

The body urged Mr Disu to chart a different course and rebuild trust between the police and the media, emphasising that press freedom is essential for Nigeria’s democracy.

“A free and independent press strengthens accountability, enhances transparency, and supports law enforcement by responsibly informing the public,” IPI Nigeria said.

Concluding on a note of constructive engagement, IPI Nigeria emphasised that the roles of the police and the media are complementary, not adversarial. It reiterated its full readiness to work with the new police leadership to address concerns and promote a relationship built on mutual respect and shared democratic values.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The judge presiding over the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has recused himself from the proceedings. The withdrawal is due to the judge’s scheduled leave, leading to the case file being returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for reassignment to another judicial officer.

The suit, brought before the FCT High Court, alleges violations of El-Rufai’s fundamental rights. Among the grievances cited are an alleged unlawful invasion of his residence in Abuja by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The case also involves other agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), in connection with ongoing legal matters concerning the former governor.

The recusal was confirmed to be by Justice Hussaini Belgore. Consequently, proceedings in the fundamental rights case have been indefinitely paused pending the reassignment of the matter by the Chief Judge.