The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for the establishment of ethical and legal frameworks to guide the development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigeria, emphasizing the need to align technological advancement with the protection of human rights.

The call was made in a statement commemorating the 2025 World Press Freedom Day, signed by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages at the NHRC.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, underscored the importance of regulating AI to prevent its misuse and ensure that it supports, rather than undermines, fundamental freedoms. He revealed that the Commission would soon issue an advisory on the responsible deployment of AI in Nigeria.

“AI development must be anchored in human rights principles,” Ojukwu said. “While AI has the potential to enhance journalism through improved content creation, investigative reporting, research, and fact-checking, it can equally be exploited to spread misinformation, perpetrate cyberbullying, emotional abuse, and incite violence.”

He noted that although AI tools have removed barriers to effective communication, enabling greater freedom of expression, their misuse could lead to serious violations of the same rights.

Ojukwu urged journalists and other users of AI technologies to deploy them responsibly and ethically to promote the right to freedom of expression. He also warned against making inflammatory remarks targeting public authorities or citizens, stressing that such actions could have legal consequences.

Reiterating the importance of press freedom, Ojukwu encouraged authorities to collaborate with journalists in their constitutional roles, particularly in holding the government accountable. He cautioned against interference with journalistic duties, noting that any confrontation with media professionals undermines democracy and may attract legal implications.

The NHRC’s renewed advocacy for AI regulation follows its March 2025 announcement of plans to engage technology companies to curb harmful AI practices in the country. During an AI Governance webinar organized by the International Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (IN-CSR), Ojukwu warned that unchecked AI could exacerbate social inequalities, enable algorithmic bias, and infringe on privacy and other human rights.

The Commission’s efforts align with the African Union’s newly adopted “Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy,” which encourages member states, including Nigeria, to adopt AI within a framework that promotes human rights and responsible governance.

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TECH DIGEST – Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) led by its Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, on Monday, paid an advocacy visit to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to discuss a collaboration on civilian protection.
The advocacy visit aimed to secure the partnership of the NHRC, to agree a right-based approach to protection of civilians and engage a framework on civilian harm mitigation.
“Providing adequate protection is a daunting task,” Mr Rafsanjani said. “It is a task that needs the closest possible coordination to be effective.”
“The parliament has an oversight role to play on civilian casualties. It is vital that their knowledge and contributions are factored into discussion of protection issues.
CISLAC, with support from Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA, has been mobilizing champions within government, military, and civil society to advance policies and practices that minimize civilian harm.
In conflict-ridden locations, CISLAC is deeply engaged with communities in several LGAs to help civilians develop self-protection strategies. This is one of many collaborations with the Nigerian government to develop a national civilian protection legislation that put civilians at the heart of counterinsurgency operations in the country.
In light of this, the team from CISLAC also paid a visit to the House Committee Chair on Army, Hon. Adulrazak Sa’ad Namdas.
CISLAC’s visit to Hon. Namdad was under the auspices of the project “Strengthening Capacity, Advocacy and Local Engagement on Protection of Civilian and Civilian Harm Mitigation Legislation in Nigeria”, supported by OSIWA.
CISLAC believes that parties to armed conflict have a responsibility to prevent civilian harm. CISLAC does this by assessing the causes of civilian harm in conflicts, craft practical solutions to address that harm and advocate for the adoption of practices that can improve the well-being of civilians caught in conflict.
Recognizing the power of collaboration, CISLAC with support from OSIWA engage with civilians, governments, militaries, and international and regional institutions to identify and institutionalize strengthened protections for civilians in conflict.
“There is often a lack of clarity and common understanding about PoC [Protection of Civilians] and how to achieve it. Civilians are the people most at risk during armed conflict, and military operations have faced significant challenges in protecting civilian populations effectively,” Mr Rafsanjani added.

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