The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has announced a strategic partnership with private sector ICT firms to deploy adaptive regulatory sandboxes for Artificial Intelligence (AI). This initiative seeks to embed AI into Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem, spur innovation, and foster cross-border digital collaboration.
The announcement was made during a one-day workshop in Abuja themed “Co-Creation Lab on Africa Sandboxes for AI.” The initiative is in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and is designed to promote responsible AI development grounded in trust, transparency, fairness, and accountability.
NDPC’s National Commissioner/CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, represented by Ms. Adaobi Nwankwo, Head of the Innovation Unit, highlighted the Commission’s strategy to test AI technologies in controlled, live environments through regulatory sandboxes.
“Our goal is to create a competitive but secure environment for AI developers and data scientists while addressing Africa’s unique socio-economic and technological challenges,” said Nwankwo.
She explained that these sandboxes will facilitate real-time policy experimentation, helping the country balance innovation with strong privacy protections and data governance standards under the NDPA.
The Commission, which recently hosted the 2025 NADPA-RAPDP Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja under the theme “Privacy, Trust, and Regulatory Innovation in a Data-Driven Africa,” believes that AI integration will boost enforcement, encourage value-driven governance, and promote adaptable regulatory frameworks across the continent.
Morine Amutorine, Africa Lead at the Datasphere Initiative, underscored that AI sandboxes are scalable across various levels of regulatory maturity. She said they offer practical environments for stakeholders to pilot AI tools, identify policy gaps, and recommend legislative updates.
“Sandboxes empower stakeholders to assess real-world impact of AI solutions while identifying regulatory improvements,” Amutorine said.
Supporting the move, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), pointed to the need for a careful balance between the opportunities and risks of AI. He emphasized that ethical implementation is crucial as AI becomes increasingly embedded in public infrastructure and services.
