The United States and Nigeria have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote data protection and innovation in artificial intelligence. This agreement, formalized by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Nigerian Investment Minister Doris Uzoka-Anite, establishes the US-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership.
The deal follows a visit earlier this year by U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arun Venkataraman to Nigeria, where he met with Communications Minister Bosun Tijani. According to a joint statement from The PUNCH, the agreement underscores a mutual commitment to advancing the digital economy, fostering innovation, and enhancing digital trade and investment between the two nations.
Raimondo and Tijani highlighted the potential of the digital economy to drive economic growth, create jobs, and promote an inclusive and sustainable digital future. They also noted the transformative impact of AI on economies and societies.
The officials emphasized the importance of leveraging AI’s potential while managing its risks, pledging to implement the recent UN resolution on “safe and trustworthy AI systems for sustainable development.”
The statement mentioned that the US Department of Commerce and the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy are dedicated to aligning their approaches to AI governance and exploring cooperation opportunities. This may include collaboration between the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s U.S. AI Safety Institute and the Nigerian Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, focusing on sharing knowledge and best practices for developing secure and trustworthy AI.
The partnership aims to improve data privacy and protection, facilitate secure cross-border data flows, and advance cloud security. Both countries plan to enhance data protection mechanisms and develop systems for interoperable cross-border data transfers, which are vital for AI and other technologies.
The agreement will also encourage best practices in data protection and participation in global forums like the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules Forum to improve international data protection and facilitate data flows. The US Department of Commerce supports Nigeria’s involvement with the Global CBPR Forum, which could provide Nigerian organizations with additional tools to manage data transfers while upholding high data protection standards.