NITDA Cautions Nigerians on Sharing Personal Data with AI

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued a warning to Nigerians regarding the sharing of sensitive personal information with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and Meta AI. In its advisory, NITDA cautioned that uploading documents containing personal identifiers, such as bank statements, medical reports, or identification numbers, could lead to identity theft, impersonation, or financial fraud if such information is exposed through data breaches or unauthorized access.

The agency recommends that users remove, anonymize, or pseudonymize personally identifiable information before using these platforms. For instance, when seeking analysis of a bank statement, individuals should ensure that their account number, name, and other identifying details are omitted.

Similarly, medical reports may contain sensitive information beyond the desired results, necessitating careful handling to protect personal data.