Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, wants legal practitioners in the country to key into the unique opportunity of the evolving global digital transformation in safe guiding data, fight cyber crimes and privacy invasion, by integrating Artificial Intelligence, AI into legal processes and digitization of practices.
Fagbemi was speaking at an international law conference held in Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, where experts brainstormed on the theme, “Digital Sovereignty and the Law: AI, Data, And Cyber Governance.”
Experts note that the Nigerian security challenges places legal obligation on the State to protect its sovereignty, including – digital domain, defence against cyber threats and ensuring that foreign interference doesn’t undermine democratic institutions or territory integrity.
The Auditorium of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufi Alike, Ikwo in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria was filled with legal luminaries from across the country and beyond, experts from the justice sector, the academia and even law students of the host institution.
They converged for the 2025 International law conference which is looking at the unique topic of the disruptive transformation of Artificial Intelligence, AI in global systems.
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The Attorney General of the Federation, who spoke through the Special Adviser to the President on Justice Reforms, ICT, Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene noted that the current Nigerian security challenge places legal obligation on the State to protect its sovereignty, including – digital domain, cyber threats and ensuring that foreign interference doesn’t undermine democratic institutions or territory integrity.
Some of the scholars and experts at the conference shared their views on the pros and cons of the place of Artificial Intelligence, especially in the area of digital plagiarism, privacy and protecting the right of the citizens.
Representative of Ebonyi State Governor, and the State Attorney General, Ben Odoh and the Dean, Faculty of Law, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Prof. Eseni Udu, want urgent legislative measures in embracing Artificial intelligence.
As the conference ends Friday, the expectations are that the Nigerian government should make laws in checkmating Artificial intelligence and data privacy as well as lawmakers engaging experts on bills for the purpose of regulating artificial intelligence and Data protection.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
