The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), social media and other digital technologies is raising fresh concerns about personal privacy in Nigeria, as technology companies collect increasing amounts of information about users and use the data to develop products, personalise services and generate revenue.
Every online search, social media interaction and conversation with an AI tool can leave behind digital information. Although individual data traces may appear insignificant, they can collectively reveal a person’s interests, habits, preferences and behavioural patterns, creating opportunities for commercial exploitation, profiling and, in some circumstances, surveillance.
The concerns were highlighted in a November 6, 2026 report by Global Voices, which examined the expanding influence of major technology companies and the implications of digital data collection for privacy, accountability and individual freedom.
The report raises an important question: how much control do Nigerians retain over their personal information as AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday activities?
In September 2024, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published findings from an investigation into nine major social media and video-streaming companies, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Amazon-owned Twitch.
The investigation found that the companies collected extensive information about users and, in some cases, non-users.
The information included personal details, interests, online activities and data obtained from other sources. The FTC also raised concerns about lengthy data-retention practices, inadequate privacy protections and the use of personal information in automated systems, including AI.
One major concern was the imbalance between technology companies and individuals. While companies can accumulate substantial information about people, users may have limited understanding of how their information is collected, stored, processed or shared.
Artificial intelligence has added another dimension to the issue. Personal data can be used to train AI models, improve recommendations and support automated decisions.
The more information companies can access, the greater the need for clear rules governing what they collect and how they use it.
The concern is not necessarily that every company collecting personal data has malicious intentions. Rather, business models built around extracting commercial value from information can encourage the collection of more data than users reasonably expect.
Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for individuals, businesses and institutions.
Students can use AI tools to support learning, small businesses can improve their operations, while journalists can apply the technology to research, information processing and content production.
In Nigeria, where access to professional services and other resources can be uneven, AI-powered tools could help reduce some of these gaps.
Technology that supports Nigerian languages and reflects local cultural experiences could also make digital services more accessible to underserved communities.
However, digital inclusion should not be measured only by the number of people who can access and use AI tools. It should also consider whether users understand the conditions attached to those services and retain meaningful rights over their personal information.
Many digital platforms operate through lengthy terms of service and privacy policies that users accept without fully understanding their implications.
Some AI services also raise questions about whether information entered through prompts, uploaded documents and other interactions may be retained or used to improve their models.
Although data-handling practices differ among companies and products, users need clear information about what is collected, why it is required, how long it is stored and whether it may be used for purposes beyond the immediate service.
Without adequate safeguards, the benefits of AI adoption could come with an invisible cost: reduced control over personal information.
The growing relationship between major technology companies and digital surveillance has also attracted attention because of its possible implications for human rights and individual freedoms.
The Global Voices report explains that authoritarianism should not be equated with every instance of corporate data collection. Rather, it involves the concentration and exercise of power in ways that undermine accountability, rights and freedoms.
Nevertheless, extensive corporate data collection can create conditions that make surveillance easier.
Detailed personal information can be used to profile individuals, predict their behaviour and influence the information they encounter online.
Depending on the circumstances, businesses, governments and other actors may exploit these capabilities.
The risks become more serious when personal information is accessed or shared without adequate safeguards, when automated systems make important decisions without meaningful oversight, or when individuals have little opportunity to challenge how their information is used.
Another concern is the growing concentration of digital power in a relatively small number of technology companies.
When a handful of companies control widely used platforms, AI services and large collections of personal information, users may have limited practical alternatives.
Leaving a platform could mean losing access to professional networks, customers, communities and services that have become important to everyday life.
This does not mean that every AI system is designed for surveillance or that every technology company intends to restrict individual freedom. It does, however, highlight the need to scrutinise the digital infrastructure shaping modern communication and access to information.
Nigeria has established a legal framework intended to protect individuals against the misuse of their personal information.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 established the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and provides a framework for the lawful, fair and accountable processing of personal data.
However, the existence of legislation alone does not guarantee effective protection.
Implementation, public awareness and the ability of regulators to hold organisations accountable remain important to ensuring that the law delivers meaningful benefits.
As Nigerians increasingly adopt AI-powered services, individuals need to understand their data protection rights, while organisations must take responsibility for explaining their data-handling practices and protecting the information they collect.
The issue also involves representation. If AI systems are developed using data that inadequately reflects Nigerian languages, cultures and social realities, their benefits could be distributed unevenly.
Responsible AI governance must therefore address not only personal privacy but also the inclusion of communities whose experiences are often underrepresented in the development of digital technologies.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, emphasises privacy, data protection, transparency, accountability and fairness throughout the AI lifecycle.
These principles provide a foundation for ensuring that technological development respects human rights.
Technology companies are expected to minimise unnecessary data collection, communicate their policies clearly, provide meaningful choices and strengthen protection against unauthorised access.
Regulators, meanwhile, need to ensure that existing laws remain effective as AI capabilities develop.
Users also require accessible information about their rights and the options available to them when their personal information is mishandled.
The growing concerns surrounding digital surveillance do not necessarily mean that Nigeria should reject artificial intelligence or prevent technology companies from using information to develop useful products.
Rather, the challenge is to establish clear boundaries that allow innovation while protecting personal privacy and individual freedoms.
For Nigeria, the issue is particularly important as more people rely on digital platforms for education, business, journalism, financial services and communication.
The central question is not simply what technology companies can learn about their users, but who controls the information, who benefits from its use and whether individuals have the power to challenge decisions made about them.
Ultimately, digital inclusion should mean more than providing access to AI tools. Nigerians must also be able to participate safely, understand the digital systems they rely on and exercise meaningful control over their personal information.
As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful, protecting privacy and ensuring accountability will be essential to building public trust in the country’s digital future
