Nigeria has aligned with more than 60 data protection authorities worldwide to adopt tougher safeguards regulating artificial intelligence-generated images, in a decisive move to stem the spread of deepfakes and non-consensual digital content.
The position was disclosed in Abuja on Wednesday in a statement signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
According to Bamigboye, the coordinated action was driven by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly, reflecting a shared global determination to confront the growing dangers posed by AI-powered visual manipulation.
He explained that regulators acted amid mounting international anxiety over privacy violations linked to advanced AI systems capable of producing lifelike images and videos of real individuals without their consent.
Among the most troubling issues identified, he noted, is the abuse of AI tools to fabricate non-consensual imagery, defamatory visuals, and other damaging materials, often targeting minors and vulnerable groups.
The joint declaration urges organisations deploying AI technologies to embed strict protective measures, prioritise transparency in system design and usage, establish swift and effective takedown procedures for harmful content, and adhere rigorously to prevailing data protection regulations.
The NDPC emphasised that Nigeria’s participation forms part of its broader strategy to ensure that innovation in artificial intelligence does not outpace accountability and ethical responsibility.
The commission recalled that the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, spearheaded the formulation of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, which provides a clear governance framework for AI development and deployment in the country.
It further pointed to its General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which requires the integration of privacy-by-design and privacy-by-default principles into AI systems from conception through deployment.
National Commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, also stated that Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) under the Nigeria Data Protection Act would serve as a key mechanism for evaluating and monitoring responsible AI practices across the country.
Reaffirming its stance, the commission pledged to defend the privacy rights of Nigerians while fostering a regulatory climate that supports technological advancement and responsible digital innovation.
