AI-Driven Health Applications in Africa: A Structured Literature Review with a Focus on Nigeria

Nigeria’s health system is often hindered by several challenges, such as inadequate resources like drugs and equipment at health facilities or a shortage of skilled personnel at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), especially in rural areas. As the prospect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare space grows, it is important to determine the current situation with its adoption in regards to solving some of the problems encountered in the Nigerian health system. This paper reviews the applications of AI technology in healthcare in Africa with a focus on Nigeria. Studies that integrated AI techniques to build solutions to target health domains, such as predicting infectious disease or an expert system for diagnosing and monitoring patients in African countries, were identified and studied. Using machine learning, neural networks, and other AI techniques, researchers have proven the benefits of AI integration into systems in Nigeria and other African countries to solve various health issues for local populations. While Nigeria has made commendable progress in applying AI in healthcare, significant opportunities remain. There is still room for the development of cost-effective AI tools that are tailored to local communities to enhance their engagement and health literacy. A critical barrier to the broader adoption of AI in healthcare in the Nigerian setting is the limited availability of high-quality health data. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop comprehensive and standardized repositories of Nigerian health data that align with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. Strengthening these foundational elements will be key in unlocking the full potential of AI in transforming healthcare delivery in Nigeria.