Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that unsustainable borrowing can impose lasting costs on future generations, while calling on African countries to approach artificial intelligence with a clear understanding of their development priorities and technological dependence.
Speaking at the Ajibosin 3.0 Symposium at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Obasanjo described debt as a problem whose consequences could extend far beyond the generation that incurred it. He questioned how Nigeria reached its present debt position and whether emerging technologies could help solve the underlying economic problems.
He also raised concerns that developing countries could become overly dependent on technologies and policy prescriptions they do not control. In discussing the history of trade, colonialism, structural adjustment and globalization, he argued that countries should scrutinize imported models rather than accept them uncritically.
Obasanjo said the more useful test of artificial intelligence would be whether it could improve agricultural production, food security, healthcare, medicine development and education at the grassroots. He urged policymakers to focus on practical applications that strengthen domestic capacity rather than technological adoption for its own sake.
His remarks were part of a broader discussion on using artificial intelligence to address local problems. The historical comparisons and economic assessments expressed at the event were his views.
