By Paul Joseph
Nigeria has joined more than 60 global data protection and privacy regulators to adopt stricter standards governing artificial intelligence (AI)-generated imagery, in a move aimed at tackling the growing threat of deepfakes and non-consensual digital content.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
According to Bamigboye, the joint initiative was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly, following rising global concerns about the misuse of AI tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals.
He noted that regulators worldwide have expressed alarm over the increasing deployment of AI-powered applications to produce non-consensual imagery, defamatory materials and other harmful digital content, particularly targeting children and vulnerable persons.
“The decision reflects a shared commitment by data protection authorities to ensure that innovation in artificial intelligence does not come at the expense of fundamental privacy rights,” the statement said.
The coalition called on organisations deploying AI systems to implement robust safeguards, ensure transparency in the use of AI technologies, provide accessible mechanisms for content removal, and comply strictly with relevant data protection laws in their jurisdictions.
The NDPC explained that the move aligns with Nigeria’s broader policy framework on responsible AI governance. It recalled that the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, had spearheaded the development of a National AI Strategy to guide the country’s adoption and regulation of artificial intelligence technologies.
The commission also referenced its General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which mandates “privacy by design” and “privacy by default” principles in the development and deployment of AI systems within Nigeria.
In the statement, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, said Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) under the Nigeria Data Protection Act would serve as a key mechanism for assessing and monitoring responsible AI usage across sectors.
The endorsement places Nigeria among a growing coalition of nations seeking to balance technological innovation with strong privacy protections amid rapid advancements in generative AI tools.
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