By Edith Nwapi

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed serious worry about the increasing spread of hate speech facilitated by digital technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu SAN, expressed the concern in his speech at a roundtable to commemorate the 2025 International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

He highlighted the threat hate speech poses to democratic values, social cohesion and human rights.

“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.

“This year’s theme invites us to examine the growing intersection between technology and human rights.

“It challenges us to reflect on the double-edged nature of AI as both a tool for development and a potential amplifier of harmful narratives, including hate speech” he said.

AI, he said especially, in its generative form is reshaping the way information is produced, consumed, and disseminated.

“The same technologies that empower innovation can also be exploited to generate, amplify, and target hate speech with unprecedented speed and reach.

“This scenario portends dangers for the enjoyment of the right to privacy as guaranteed by section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

“Through algorithmic targeting, manipulated images, deepfakes, and automated bots, hateful and discriminatory narratives can now be crafted and circulated far more efficiently, often bypassing existing regulatory frameworks,” he said.

If not addressed, Ojukwu said, these technologies can incite violence and reinforce dangerous stereotypes.

“The threat of hate speech in the digital age is real. But so too is the power of solidarity, informed voices and ethical leadership for the enjoyment of the human rights dimensions of these emerging technologies.

“Let us not allow algorithms to shape our humanity.

“We must remain vigilant, we must remain united, and we must act online and offline in defence of dignity, truth and justice,” he said.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, especially media, youth, and digital platforms to join in building a Nigeria where human rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled for all.

Ojukwu later reissued a 12-page Advisory on Countering Hate Speech which was previously issued on June 18, 2023.

Similarly, senior human rights adviser to the UN Resident Human Rights Commissioner in Nigeria, Ms Adwao Kufuor, extended greetings from her boss Mr Mohammed Tall.

She said the UN would always identify with NHRC in the struggle to tackle the menace both offline and online.

“Hate speech is on the rise worldwide. It is more on social media; social media has given a lot of misinformation.

“Hate speech has turned into a business, it is used as a weapon to destroy. The mix between hate speech and AI is very dangerous.

“Hate speech is apparent in social media. Tackling hate speech is a priority in the UN,” she said.

Mr Hiliary Ogbonna, Senior Human Rights Adviser to the commission, said the media are the purveyors of hate speech in the political field.

“What we have also seen is the centrality of the media in purveying these hate speeches.

“Today is a very stark reminder to all of us that we need to ensure that our politics is clean and politics is free from hate speeches.

“We have also seen that hate speeches, when not controlled in the political firmament, would lead to multiple violations of human rights.

“These include voter suppression, disenfranchisement, as well as political and electoral violence.

“Now, in terms of prohibition, our electoral act in section 92 prohibits all forms of hate speeches,” he said.