Nigerian Workers Face AI Data Privacy Risks Under Law

Nigerian workers increasingly utilize artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini for various tasks, including drafting emails and analyzing documents. However, this raises concerns regarding data privacy, particularly when personal information is uploaded to these platforms.

The Data Protection Act 2023 provides safeguards against automated decision-making involving personal data, granting individuals rights such as obtaining human intervention and contesting automated decisions. This is crucial as companies may use AI to screen CVs and monitor employee performance.

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission's General Application and Implementation Directive mandates Data Privacy Impact Assessments for high-risk processing, including automated decision-making. Additionally, employees using generative AI for tasks like analyzing spreadsheets must be cautious about sharing sensitive information.

Companies are advised to establish clear guidelines on what information can be submitted to external AI platforms to mitigate risks.