The Algorithmic Arms Race: AI, Military Power, and Security Dilemmas in West Africa

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence into military systems is transforming the character of global security, creating new forms of strategic competition and generating pressures for regional arms races. This paper examines the implications of the emerging AI arms race for West Africa, with particular attention to Nigeria. It argues that the intersection of AI and military power is generating new insecurities, creating pressures for regional arms races, and embedding values in technological systems that may not serve African interests. Drawing on C. Wright Mills's theory of the power elite, Robert Jervis's security dilemma, and Andrew Feenberg's critical theory of technology, the paper analyses the structural dynamics that drive AI militarisation and the values embedded in AI systems. It also engages with African perspectives that challenge the assumption that the AI arms race is a concern only for great powers. The paper argues that Nigeria must develop a strategic approach to AI that neither ignores the realities of great-power competition nor uncritically adopts the priorities of external actors. It concludes with recommendations for Nigerian policymakers, the African Union, ECOWAS, and the international community.