Nigerian scholar Prof. Chidi Oguamanam has been appointed to UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), placing him among global experts helping shape ethical standards for emerging technologies.
Oguamanam will serve a four-year term from 2026 to 2029 following an official invitation from UNESCO, which recognized his contributions to the ethics of science and technology.
Established in 1998, COMEST advises UNESCO, governments, policymakers, researchers and civil society on ethical challenges arising from scientific and technological developments.
Its work covers major issues including artificial intelligence, climate change, biotechnology, quantum computing, environmental protection and space exploration.
The commission brings together experts from different regions and academic backgrounds to provide global perspectives on rapidly evolving technologies. Its recommendations have contributed to international frameworks, including UNESCO’s 2017 Declaration of Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate Change and its 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
Oguamanam is expected to contribute to the commission’s “horizon scanning” efforts, helping identify emerging scientific and technological developments that could create significant ethical challenges in the future.
His appointment gives Nigeria a stronger presence in international discussions on how technologies such as AI should be developed and governed responsibly.
At a time when artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are transforming societies, Oguamanam’s role places a Nigerian academic at the table where some of the world’s key conversations on science, technology and ethics are taking place.#newsafro_
