Nigeria, India Partner To Tackle AI-Driven Human Rights Abuses

Nigeria and India are strengthening bilateral cooperation to address human rights violations, emerging threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and weaknesses in justice administration.

The partnership will focus on improving access to justice, strengthening institutional accountability and addressing human rights abuses within security and law enforcement agencies.

The initiative is anchored on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and its Indian counterpart, providing a framework for technical exchanges, institutional capacity building, comparative legal research and policy development.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed the federal government’s commitment to the initiative during a meeting with an Indian delegation at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.

Fagbemi described the agreement as an important step towards strengthening institutional relationships and improving Nigeria’s human rights protection architecture.

He stressed that constitutional guarantees must translate into tangible protection and accessible justice for ordinary citizens.

He said effective human rights protection depended not only on sound legal provisions but also on institutional accountability, inter-agency cooperation, an independent judiciary and consistent adherence to the rule of law.

The Attorney General reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to aligning Nigeria’s laws, policies and justice administration procedures with constitutional provisions and international human rights obligations.

He particularly underscored the need to preserve the statutory independence of the NHRC under Section 6(3) of the NHRC Amendment Act 2010, which shields the commission from the direction or control of any other authority or individual in the performance of its statutory functions.

According to him, the Ministry of Justice would facilitate technical engagements, joint legal assessments and policy consultations arising from the agreement, particularly in areas requiring improvements in justice sector administration.

Fagbemi also highlighted the human rights implications of artificial intelligence, warning that the growing application of digital technologies required appropriate legal safeguards against data privacy violations, algorithmic discrimination and restrictions on civic freedoms.

He expressed optimism that the bilateral engagement would produce practical research findings and policy recommendations capable of improving justice delivery, particularly for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

Earlier, NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu, SAN, said the agreement would enable both countries to strengthen institutional capacity, exchange professional expertise and undertake comparative research on human rights laws and practices.

Ojukwu identified improved complaint management, human rights compliance in security sector governance, law enforcement accountability and access to justice as priority areas of the collaboration.

He said the partnership would also address emerging dimensions of human rights protection, including digital rights, artificial intelligence, ethical intelligence gathering and environmental justice.

The NHRC chief noted that although the commission enjoys statutory independence, the effective discharge of its responsibilities requires constructive engagement with relevant institutions within the justice sector.

He listed the commission’s responsibilities to include investigating human rights complaints, recommending compensation for victims and monitoring Nigeria’s compliance with international human rights treaties.

Ojukwu expressed confidence that the partnership would generate useful legal perspectives and policy options to support ongoing efforts to reform the country’s justice system and strengthen institutional accountability.

Leading the Indian delegation, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, Dr Aravinda Chakraborty, described the relationship between Nigeria and India as one built on shared democratic principles, historical experiences, cultural connections and a common commitment to fundamental human rights.

He said the agreement offered both countries an opportunity to deepen their relationship through practical cooperation in promoting and protecting the rights of their citizens.

Chakraborty commended the Federal Ministry of Justice for facilitating the engagement, expressing confidence that closer collaboration between the two countries’ human rights institutions would encourage knowledge sharing and strengthen institutional performance.