Across Africa, conversations about artificial intelligence are no longer limited to innovation hubs or boardrooms. They are unfolding in communities affected by insecurity, in supply chains linked to forced labour, and among organisations struggling to protect vulnerable people with limited resources. At the centre of this debate is a very human question: can powerful technology be used to keep people safe without taking away their dignity or rights?
For Nigerian software engineer Ayotunde Peter Somoye, the issue is personal as much as it is technical. After years of building large commercial systems used by millions of people, he has increasingly turned his attention to how those same tools could help address security threats and human trafficking across Africa.
“When you work on large systems, you realise they shape real lives,” Somoye said. “Behind every data point is a person, and that has to matter when we talk about security or human rights.”
In many parts of the continent, insecurity and organised crime do not show up first as headlines—they show up as disrupted livelihoods, unsafe journeys, or people disappearing into exploitative work. Law enforcement agencies and NGOs often rely on incomplete information, reacting only after harm has already occurred.
Somoye believes technology can help close that gap by spotting early warning signs, much like systems that already detect financial fraud or cyber threats.
“We trust technology to protect our money and our identities,” he said. “The real question is why we struggle to use it, carefully and ethically, to protect people.”
Human trafficking and modern slavery are especially hard to fight because they thrive in the shadows. Victims are hidden inside informal recruitment networks or complex supply chains that are difficult to monitor.
Somoye’s research explores how AI can help identify unusual patterns in recruitment or employment data—signals that something may be wrong—while leaving final decisions to human investigators.
“AI shouldn’t replace human judgement,” he said. “It should help people see what they might otherwise miss.”
He has also examined how transparent digital systems can help workers find legitimate jobs, reducing the risk of exploitation before it begins.
Despite the promise of AI, Somoye is cautious. He acknowledges the fear many people have—that technology meant to protect could instead be used to monitor, exclude, or silence communities already under pressure.
“If these systems are built without care, they can easily harm the very people they’re meant to protect,” he said. “That’s why ethics, privacy, and accountability can’t be afterthoughts.”
His work repeatedly returns to a simple principle: people must remain at the centre of any security technology.
Beyond writing code, Somoye spends time mentoring younger engineers across Africa, encouraging them to think not just about what they can build, but why they are building it. Several of the platforms he has advised have grown quickly, serving tens of thousands of users.
Observers say this reflects a quiet shift. African engineers are no longer just adopting global technologies—they are questioning them, reshaping them, and insisting they fit local realities.
As governments and organisations look to AI for answers to complex security and human rights problems, voices like Somoye’s highlight a crucial reminder: technology does not protect people on its own. People protect people—technology simply helps them do it better, when used with care.