The Federal Government has cautioned social media users and content creators against the unauthorised capture and distribution of images and videos of members of the public, warning that violations could attract legal sanctions.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission, acting on behalf of the government, raised concerns over individuals recording unsuspecting citizens, particularly along busy roadsides in Lagos State, and posting such content on platforms including TikTok, X, and Meta. The Commission described these acts as breaches of citizens’ rights to informational self-determination under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
A preliminary NDPC investigation indicated that these recordings often serve no public interest and lack lawful justification. “Processing the images of people in these circumstances requires explicit consent,” the Commission said in a statement. “Where consent is absent, both creators and platforms risk liability under the law.”
The National Commissioner and CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, directed platform owners to rigorously enforce community guidelines and prevent harm arising from unlawful data processing, emphasising that failure to act could result in sanctions under the NDP Act.
The NDPC also warned that individual content creators could face criminal prosecution for infringing citizens’ privacy rights. “People do not expect their images to be captured and shared publicly without consent,” the Commission said.
The Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, Babatunde Bamigboye, who signed the statement, reaffirmed that the government is committed to strict enforcement of privacy laws, requiring both social media platforms and creators to uphold the rights of Nigerians or face legal consequences.
As part of broader efforts to protect personal data, the NDPC recently joined over 60 global data protection authorities in endorsing the “Joint Statement on AI‑Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy,” coordinated by the Global Privacy Assembly’s International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group. The statement addresses concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence to create highly realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals without consent, including non‑consensual intimate imagery and defamatory deepfakes. It calls on organisations using AI systems to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, and provide mechanisms for rapid removal of harmful content in compliance with data protection laws.
