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Nigeria’s data protection regulator has urged women technology entrepreneurs to build privacy protections into artificial intelligence products from the outset. The commission wants businesses to protect personal information throughout the life of an AI product.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, head of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, delivered that message through a representative at a Lagos summit. He called for responsible AI governance to remain central to innovation, rather than becoming a compliance afterthought.
The News Agency of Nigeria account reports his remarks at the Women Entrepreneurs and Executives in Tech Summit and Awards 2026. Omoikhefe Ahimie, manager of the commission’s Lagos liaison office, represented him at the event.
Start With What the Product Collects
Olatunji urged innovators to identify the personal information their technologies collect and the reasons for collecting it. They should also understand who can access that information and how long it will be retained.
He listed identity and contact details, financial information, location, photographs, and health information as forms of personal data. Behavioral information and online identifiers also fall within that description.
Olatunji described privacy in terms of people’s control over their information. He said it means empowering individuals to decide who may collect and process their data, and for what purpose. Those choices sit at the center of the approach he urged entrepreneurs to adopt.
Assess Risks Before Deploying AI
The commissioner identified privacy breaches, surveillance, bias, discrimination, profiling, and inadequate human oversight as concerns surrounding AI deployment. He called for businesses to consider those risks alongside the opportunities the technology offers.
Data Privacy Impact Assessments are important for technologies involving profiling or automated decision-making, he said. He urged innovators to conduct them before deployment. Product designers should also consider users’ vulnerabilities when choosing technical and organizational safeguards.
Olatunji pointed to Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as guaranteeing citizens’ privacy. He also cited the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as the legal framework for protecting personal data.
Keep Governance Active After Launch
Olatunji said AI could reduce operating costs, automate repetitive tasks, improve productivity, and strengthen business decisions. He also identified opportunities for women to innovate and reach new markets.
He argued that strong data protection could protect individuals, strengthen consumer trust, encourage technology adoption, and improve Nigerian businesses’ global competitiveness. These were benefits he associated with responsible deployment, rather than guaranteed results for a particular product.
His recommendation was ongoing governance rather than a one-time certification. Businesses should keep identifying and addressing emerging risks associated with their AI systems and how those systems are used.
Frequently asked questions
What data questions did the NDPC ask entrepreneurs to consider?
Entrepreneurs should identify what personal data they collect, why they collect it, who can access it, and how long it is retained.
When did Olatunji recommend conducting privacy impact assessments?
He urged innovators to conduct assessments before deploying technologies that involve profiling or automated decision-making.
Which Nigerian laws did the commissioner cite for data protection?
He cited Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as the relevant privacy framework.
How did Olatunji describe responsible AI governance?
He described it as a continuous process that identifies and mitigates emerging risks, rather than a one-off certification.
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