The Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), in collaboration with the NCC Professorial Chair Endowment, has hosted a two-day workshop on “AI and Data Governance for Consumer Protection” at the NITDA Hub, Main Campus.
Declaring the event open on Tuesday, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Prof. Mohammed Abdullahi, said the theme aligns with the university’s mission of advancing knowledge and innovation. He stressed the importance of data security, compliance, and effective management, urging participants to generate actionable policies that could strengthen AI governance in Nigeria.
Chairman of the NCC Professorial Chair Endowment, Prof. Abraham Usman, said the fund was created to promote research, innovation, and capacity building in telecommunications and digital technology. He described the workshop as part of that vision, adding that it also brought together academics, regulators, and industry leaders. Prof. Usman further announced the launch of the Digital Consumer Protection Handbook, a simplified guide designed to help Nigerians better understand complex issues around digital rights and consumer protection.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Ramoni Adeogun, Head of AI for Wireless Research Group at Aalborg University, Denmark, reviewed global models of AI governance and proposed a four-pillar policy roadmap for Nigeria, focusing on legal, institutional, technical, and regulatory capacity. He underscored the shared responsibility of government, private sector, academia, civil society, and consumers in promoting ethical and responsible AI practices.
The workshop also featured panel discussions and interactive sessions on AI profiling and consumer discrimination, balancing regulation with innovation, tools for digital self-defense, and raising awareness of digital rights among Nigerian students.
In her closing remarks, Director of FUTMINNA’s Entrepreneurship Centre, Prof. Caroline O. Aloneghena, thanked participants and speakers, emphasizing the need for collective effort in ensuring effective AI data governance for consumer protection.
