The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nigeria has expressed deep concern on the growing prevalence of hate speech across the country, warning that it poses a serious threat to national unity, social harmony, and the protection of fundamental human rights.
During a media roundtable to commemorate the International Day for Countering Hate Speech in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, Human Rights, Dr. Tony Ojukwu emphasised the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the information landscape, noting that AI is rapidly changing how content is produced, consumed, and disseminated across digital platforms.
“The same technologies that empower innovation can also be exploited to generate, amplify, and target hate speech with unprecedented speech and reach,” he said.
Democratic value
According to Dr Ojukwu, hate speech is not just a threat to individual dignity, it is a direct attack on democratic value and social cohesion.
“It violates the right to dignity of the human person, the right to be free from discrimination, and the right to participate in public life without fear of suppression or violence,” he stated.
Dr. Ojukwu called for proactive regulation, ethical AI deployment, and increased digital literacy to ensure that these technologies are harnessed for positive development rather than tools for harm and human rights violations.
Uphold the rights
The Senior Human Rights Adviser to the office of the UN Resident High Commission, Adwoa Kufuor called for stronger enforcement of existing laws, increased public awareness, and responsible communication by political, religious, and community leaders to curb hate speech and uphold the rights and dignity of all citizens.
“We must remember that words matter. They possess the power to heal all harm and build bridges of value,” she said.
The Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna highlighted that while AI presents vast opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it also poses significant risks particularly in the misuse of AI-generated content to spread hate speech, misinformation, and divisive narratives.
He highlighted the critical responsibilities of the Commission in combating hate speech and curbing the spread of fake news, stressing that these threats undermine peace, democracy, and human rights.
Lateefah Ibrahim