The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) was represented by an officer from the IT & Cybersecurity Department of the Commission, Mr Abubakar Mahmud, on a panel session with the topic, “Artificial Intelligence Data Governance & Regulation,” at the Nigeria Youth Internet Governance Forum (NYIGF).
During the session, he highlighted that the Commission has translated the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 into the three major local languages (Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo) to ensure everyone clearly understands their digital rights. Referencing the National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji’s recent interview on AIT’s Kakaki, he reiterated the critical importance of reviewing privacy policies before ticking consent boxes or engaging with digital platforms.
Highlighting the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023 as a legislative shield, he addressed urgent digital challenges such as unauthorised profiling and automated decision-making for life-changing decisions (like jobs, loans, health, profiling, etc.) without human oversight or proper explanation at the event with the general theme, “Code, Consent, and Control: Reimagining Nigeria’s Digital Rights in an AI-Driven World.”
The discussion, which engaged passionate youth and industry experts, highlighted that investor confidence and “innovation via trust” are built on a regulated, legally secure digital space. Mr Mahmud concluded by charging the youth to transition from being passive users to active monitors, encouraging them to leverage the NDPC to report unfair automated practices. This engagement reinforced the collective responsibility to build a Nigeria where digital rights are upheld as fundamental human rights.
