Women being stripped naked, marked with X's, at X's Grok
In Nigeria, the rise of AI-facilitated sexual harassment and defamation on social media platforms has become a growing concern for many women. The Cybercrimes Act of 2015, the Criminal Code Act, the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, and other general laws provide some legal protection, but their effectiveness is limited due to several factors.
The Cybercrimes Act of 2015 criminalizes cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and cyberstalking, which can apply to AI-generated content or harassment online. The Criminal Code Act covers defamation and criminal defamation of character, including portrayals of individuals in sexual or compromising ways without consent. The NDPA regulates data processing by AI platforms, providing protection from misuse of personal data and transparency regarding automated decision-making.
However, the absence of AI-specific legal frameworks means that misuse of generative AI tools for harassment or defamation falls into a regulatory grey area, complicating enforcement. Jurisdictional challenges and perpetrators' anonymity make prosecution difficult. Existing agencies like the National Orientation Agency have been slow to address the gendered and technological dimensions of online harassment and misinformation.
The NDPA introduces expectations for algorithmic explainability and bias audits, but these are still emerging norms rather than fully enforced mandates. Victims of AI-generated impersonation or image-based abuse can seek redress under the NDPA and file complaints at [email protected].
The Nigerian government is currently drafting an Online Harms Protection Bill, spearheaded by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), which could evolve into a formal legislative proposal after further consultation is completed.
Across Nigeria and other African countries, online users are employing AI tools to manipulate, sexualize, or humiliate women. In one notable case, an anonymous Snapchat user named 'Kenny' fabricated a narrative that a young lady was his girlfriend, using deepfakes to support the lie. When X users prompted the platform's chatbot, Grok, to generate explicit images of Nigerian women, mass reporting the accounts resulted in the cold response: "This account does not violate community guidelines".
Many Nigerian women are rethinking their presence on social platforms due to concerns about their photos being modified inappropriately. Jessica Eni, a policy associate at TechSocietal, believes that platforms cannot recognize gendered harms that are peculiar to the Nigerian context. Gbenga, a self-identified mental health consultant, made such prompts and later posted an apology thread on X.
The headcount for X's Trust & Safety team has fallen by roughly 30% since October 2022, raising questions about the platform's commitment to addressing these issues. On June 27, 2025, Nigerian content creator Asherkine posted a video asking a young lady out on a date. In response, 'Kenny' gained tens of thousands of followers and advertised Snapchat ads due to the virality of the lie.
Vivian Nnabue, a social media associate, made a LinkedIn post accompanied with screenshots and tags of the perpetrators' accounts, demanding that they be held accountable. As the use and misuse of AI technologies for such harms continue to increase, it is crucial for the Nigerian government and tech companies to address these issues and provide clear, targeted AI-specific provisions to ensure effective legal protections for victims.
References: [1] NITDA (2023). Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). Retrieved from https://nitda.gov.ng/ndpr/ [2] Eze, E. (2021). AI and the Law: Understanding the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Nigerian Law. Retrieved from https://www.techcabal.com/2021/04/27/ai-and-the-law-understanding-the-intersection-of-artificial-intelligence-and-nigerian-law/ [3] Akpoti-Uduaghan, N. (2020). High-Profile Defamation Suit Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/388996-high-profile-defamation-suit-against-senator-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan.html [5] TechSocietal (2022). The State of AI in Nigeria: A Report on the Use and Misuse of AI Technologies in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://techsocietal.org/state-of-ai-in-nigeria-report/
The Cybercrimes Act of 2015 and the Criminal Code Act aim to deter AI-facilitated harassment and defamation, as they criminalize cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and cyberstalking, as well as defamation and criminal defamation of character. However, the Nigerian government needs to establish AI-specific legal frameworks to tackle the regulatory grey area of AI-generated content misuse and provide effective legal protections for victims. With the increasing use and misuse of AI technologies for harassment, it is crucial for tech companies and the Nigerian government to address these issues and provide clear, targeted AI-specific provisions.
