The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has teamed up with 60 data protection authorities worldwide to back a joint initiative addressing privacy risks linked to artificial intelligence-generated images.
In a statement on Tuesday, the commission said it endorsed the “Joint Statement on AI-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy”, a document coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group of the Global Privacy Assembly.
The statement highlights concerns over tools that can create realistic images and videos of identifiable people. Regulators say such tools are being misused to produce non-consensual images, defamatory materials and other harmful content. Children and other vulnerable groups face the greatest risk.
According to the NDPC, the initiative with data authorities urges organisations to put safeguards in place before deploying such systems. It also asks companies to be transparent about how their tools work, set up effective content removal channels and comply with data protection laws in their countries.
AI tools are now widely accessible, and in many cases, they can generate images that look real within seconds. When those images feature real people, the privacy impact is immediate.
The commission said its participation reveals Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible use of artificial intelligence, referring to steps already taken at home, including work on a national policy framework.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, previously led the development of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy.
In addition, the NDPC issued its General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which requires data controllers and processors to embed privacy protections into their systems from the design stage.
The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has now directed that Compliance Audit Returns under the Nigeria Data Protection Act will be used to assess how major data controllers and processors apply AI in their operations.
The commission said the audit process will serve as a benchmark for monitoring responsible data processing practices, especially where AI tools are involved.
