The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has formally endorsed the “Joint Statement on AI-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy”, joining 60 other global Data Protection Authorities in advocating stricter oversight of artificial intelligence systems.
Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations at the NDPC, stated that the move signals Nigeria’s growing commitment to curbing misuse of AI technologies capable of producing realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals. The initiative, coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group of the Global Privacy Assembly, addresses risks such as non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and harms to children and vulnerable groups.
“The Joint Statement highlights concerns over misuse of AI-powered tools to create non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and other harmful materials. It calls on organisations to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, provide effective content removal mechanisms, and comply fully with applicable data protection laws,” the NDPC said.
The Commission noted that the endorsement aligns with broader steps Nigeria is taking to regulate AI responsibly. Dr. Vincent Olatunji, NDPC’s CEO, has directed that Compliance Audit Returns under the Nigeria Data Protection Act will now serve as benchmarks for responsible AI-driven data processing. Data controllers and processors deemed critical will be required to demonstrate adherence to legal provisions through their audits.
In a related enforcement move, the NDPC launched an investigation in February into Chinese e-commerce platform Temu over potential privacy violations affecting millions of Nigerians. Preliminary findings indicate the platform handles personal data of approximately 12.7 million Nigerians, raising concerns about compliance with local privacy standards.
