Use Digital Tools To Enhance Justice, Not Censorship, NHRC, Stakeholders Tell Federal Govt

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said the federal government should utilise digital tools to enhance the administration of justice in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, SAN, who spoke during the opening session of a national conference on digital rights held in Abuja, maintained that such tools, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), should not be deployed to perpetuate bias, censorship, or exclusion.

Ojukwu further stressed the need for the FG to strengthen legal frameworks that will enhance digital literacy and curb the misuse of personal data for malicious purposes.

“In an era where digital technologies shape every facet of our lives, protecting digital rights is not just a technical imperative but a cornerstone of human dignity and democratic governance.

“As you are aware, digital literacy is key to protecting digital rights. In Nigeria, protecting people’s rights is compounded by a lack of robust digital literacy and understanding of rights and responsibilities in the online space.

For instance, the widespread misuse of personal data for malicious purposes, cyber harassment, and defamation are everyday occurrences that violate ethical standards and rights to privacy and respect for individuals, amongst others, thereby breaching the boundaries of the balance between the rights of the individual and the need for law and order,” he added.

He said the NHRC has aligned its efforts with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) through a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, which will provide a compliance matrix.

“This framework mandates human rights due diligence in AI and digital deployments, including impact assessments, transparency in algorithms, and remediation for violations, ensuring ethical AI governance as outlined in UN efforts to integrate digital rights into global standards.

“The Commission actively monitors digital rights violations through its monthly dashboard, engages tech firms for ethical AI guidelines (collaboration with Meta) and collaborates with NITDA and other CSOs on workshops addressing algorithmic bias, privacy invasions, and misinformation.

“We are actively advocating for strong human rights oversight in AI governance so as to enforce due diligence, and integrate digital protections into our Act, mirroring our quasi-judicial powers to summon, investigate, and remedy abuses.

“As I had recently emphasised, AI, if not governed with robust ethical frameworks and with human dignity at the core, can breed inequalities,” Ojukwu, SAN, added.

In their separate presentations, the Executive Director of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Dr. Y. Z. Y’au emphasized the need for the government to provide a safe environment for the responsible use of technology by citizens, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC)—represented by Mr. Olamilekan Bakre—said it was committed to deepening privacy awareness and strengthening Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem.

The conference, themed “Advancing Digital Rights: Fortifying Governance, Expanding Access, and Safeguarding Civic Freedom in a Digital Society,” was organised by Avocat Sans Frontières France (otherwise known as Lawyers Without Borders).

In her remarks, the Country Director of ASF France, Ms Angela Uganda Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said the conference came at the backdrop of the e-RIGHTS project the organisation commenced in 2022.

Aside from equipping journalists with digital security tools, she said the project has invested in educating and building the capacity of the Nigerian judiciary.

“We have worked with lawyers by empowering them to be able to provide free support to persons whose digital rights have been violated.

“We have also leveraged the court system. We are litigating not just at the national level but also at the regional level, to challenge certain legislations and policies of the government that hamper the enjoyment of digital rights,” she added.