Nigerian Open AI Board Member Under Pressure As Global Campaign Gains Momentum

A rapidly growing global campaign backed by over 110,000 people calls on OpenAI’s newest board member, Adebayo Ogunlesi, to block the company’s transition to a for-profit model.
Ogunlesi is a prominent Nigerian billionaire and investment banker who joined OpenAI’s board in January 2025.

Campaigners from the People For AI Coalition argue that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman should not be allowed to transition OpenAI to a public benefit corporation, handing over decisions about one of the most potent and potentially dangerous technologies to a handful of investors driven by profits.

Alongside the petition, new polls show widespread public concern over the risks of AI technologies. In a survey conducted in California, US, where the company is based, a clear majority wanted the State’s top lawyer to block the transition.

Ogunlesi’s appointment was hailed as a progressive step forward for diversity in global tech governance—now, advocates are urging him to rise to the occasion.

OpenAI’s board wields immense influence over the company’s direction and bears responsibility for ensuring AI remains aligned with its original mission of serving the public good.

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Concerns about OpenAI’s global impact are growing, including in Nigeria, where generative AI tools fueled disinformation during the 2023 presidential elections, spreading falsehoods and deepening distrust. Experts warn AI is accelerating the tools of repression, from surveillance to the spread of false information. They say this reinforces the need for strong public oversight of powerful AI platforms.

This is not just a Silicon Valley issue but a global one. Decisions made in tech boardrooms have far-reaching consequences, particularly in countries like Nigeria and across the Global South, where the harms of unregulated technology are often most acute.

In this context, Mr. Ogunlesi’s role on the board carries significant weight and global responsibility.

The campaign is also pressuring the Attorneys General of California and Delaware, who have jurisdiction over the company’s nonprofit structure, to block the transition.

If allowed to proceed, the restructuring could allow CEO Sam Altman to gain significantly through equity tied to the for-profit model while reducing the nonprofit’s influence to a minority role.