Nigerian Government initiates legislation to regulate Artificial Intelligence – Speaker Tajudeen Abbas

Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has revealed that the National Assembly is working on legislation aimed at regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI). The primary objective is to combat issues like identity theft, among other challenges associated with AI.

Abbas made this announcement during the 7th Convocation Ceremony, which was organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in collaboration with the University of Benin, held in Abuja.

He emphasized the importance of establishing a regulatory framework for emerging technologies in Nigeria. While acknowledging the substantial benefits of new technologies like AI and robotics, he stressed the need to prevent their misuse and abuse.

The Speaker noted that AI has the potential to bring numerous advantages, including improved healthcare, safer transportation, enhanced manufacturing efficiency, and more sustainable energy solutions. He also highlighted the transformative impact of integrating AI into education, which could revolutionize the teaching and learning processes.

However, he also acknowledged that AI technologies come with challenges. AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate biases related to gender, race, or ideology, and they have the potential to increase inequalities by automating routine tasks and displacing jobs.

One of the key concerns he pointed out is the rise in identity theft and fraud, exemplified by the use of AI in creating realistic deep fakes. These manipulated videos, photos, and audio can be maliciously employed to mislead, deceive, and create societal unrest.

In light of these opportunities and threats presented by AI, Speaker Abbas stated that the 10th House of Representatives will engage with stakeholders and experts in this field. The aim is to harness the potential of AI while addressing issues related to privacy, accountability, ethics, security, and intellectual property.

The Speaker also expressed the commitment to work alongside the executive branch to incorporate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and renewable energy, into the school curriculum. He revealed plans to introduce a bill to regulate AI in the coming weeks, marking one of the first such efforts in Africa and one of the few undertaken by parliaments worldwide. This legislation seeks to create favorable conditions for the development and responsible use of AI in Nigeria.