By Melvin Tejan Mansaray, Abuja Nigeria
A Member of the Sierra Leone Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Mabinty Fatmata Angel Funna has quizzed an Expert on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on its threats to jobs, the role of the private sector, academia and civil society, the harmonization of extant laws and plans on compliance and enforcement of an AI legal framework in West Africa.
Hon. Funna raised her critical queries in the Chamber of ECOWAS Parliament on Wednesday 13th May, 2026 at the Sixth Legislature’s ongoing 2026 First Ordinary Session holding at the International Conference Center, Area 10 Abuja Nigeria.
Hon. Funna’s enquiries emanated from a presentation, “Foundations of a Common AI Regulation in West Africa – Geopolitical, Economic and Ethical Issues,” presented by Nasir Yammama, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Innovation in the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria.
In her interrogation, Hon. Funna asked Nasir Yammama about:
“What measures are in place to protect jobs and ensure that AI adoption does not create unemployment for West Africans.”
She also probed, “what role do you expect the private sector, academia and civil society to play in shaping and implementing this foundation.”
Hon. Funna enquired:
“Legally, how will an AI regulation interact with existing laws on data protection, cyber security and consumer protection already in place in member states.”
“And finally, what mechanisms are intended to ensure compliance and enforcement across ECOWAS states especially considering differences in our legal systems,” She quizzed.
In his response, Yammama said that West Africans must act quickly on an AI framework since Africans were left out of the industrial revolution.
“MPs should approach AI as a tool for co intelligence to augment reasoning, productivity and decision-making. We are not outsourcing our human intelligence,” Yammama ascertained.
He encouraged Lawmakers to focus on the application layer of AI as was done in the case of cloud systems, adding that the strategy should be informed by such engagements as the one they were having in the ECOWAS Parliament.
“On protecting jobs, innovation is a team sport everyone must come onboard. It needs a multi-sectorial approach. Jobs are not at risk for now. AI won’t replace our jobs, in fact, it is giving Africans more to do.
On harmonization of existing laws, it is a matter of interoperability,” Yammama maintained.
Hon. Funna is representing the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party and the people of Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone. She is serving her second term.
She is a Barrister and Solicitor, International Humans Rights and Development Activist.
Hon. Funna has been championing women and girls rights, sexual and gender-based violence campaigns, and peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts.
She is a Peace Ambassador and was ranked among the Top Fifty Influential Women in Sierra Leone in the year 2025.