Glory Okwata’s Therafarm: A case for data protection in tackling mental health with AI

A few years ago, the idea of discussing mental health with an AI platform would have sounded far-fetched. Today, AI has become part of everyday life in ways that are difficult to ignore.

People now use AI tools for self-assessments, emotional support and general mental wellness guidance. But as more people share deeply personal information with these platforms, who is protecting that data?

The question is worth asking because mental health data is unlike almost any other kind of personal information. A leaked password can be changed. A compromised bank card can be replaced. But deeply personal details about a person’s emotional state, relationships or psychological history cannot simply be reset.

Once privacy is lost, rebuilding trust becomes difficult.
That is why the conversation around artificial intelligence in mental healthcare should not stop at innovation. It should also include responsibility.

This is one reason Therafam, the mental wellness startup co-founded by Nigerian cybersecurity professional Glory Okwata, deserves attention. Much has been said about the platform’s use of artificial intelligence to help people better understand their mental wellbeing.

Equally important, however, is the decision to place data protection at the centre of its operations.

Okwata’s background is in cybersecurity, not psychology. Some might see that as unusual for someone building a mental health platform. I see it differently. If mental healthcare is increasingly moving into digital spaces, then protecting sensitive personal information is no longer a technical issue sitting quietly in the background. It becomes part of healthcare itself.

Trust is the foundation of every honest conversation about mental health. People seek help only when they believe they can speak freely without fear of judgement or exposure. The same principle applies online. If users are unsure how their personal information will be collected, stored or shared, many will simply stay away.

And a mental health platform that people do not trust cannot achieve its purpose, regardless of how sophisticated its AI may be.

This is where many conversations about artificial intelligence miss the point. Public discussions often revolve around what AI can predict, analyse or automate. Far less attention is paid to the systems that protect the people using those technologies. Yet privacy is not an administrative box to tick after building a product. It is part of the product itself.

Across Africa, entrepreneurs are using artificial intelligence to tackle long-standing problems in healthcare, agriculture, education and financial services. It is an exciting shift, one that shows local innovators are no longer waiting for solutions from elsewhere. They are building them.

But innovation alone is not enough. If users lose confidence that their information is safe, even the most promising technology will struggle to gain public acceptance.

Nigeria has made progress with data protection through recent legislation and stronger regulatory oversight. That is encouraging. Still, regulation can only establish minimum standards. Building trust requires something more.

It requires companies to treat privacy as a core value rather than a legal obligation.
Therafam appears to recognise that reality. While many startups focus is on what their technology can do, the company has also made data protection part of its major plan.

Given Okwata’s background in cybersecurity, that is hardly surprising. It shows an understanding that people will only embrace digital mental healthcare if they believe their private conversations will remain private.

Of course, no technology is without risk. Questions around bias, accountability and transparency are still very much alive, and they should remain part of the conversation. Mental healthcare, because of its deeply personal nature, deserves even greater scrutiny.

Healthy scepticism should always come with new technologies, especially when they deal with sensitive aspects of people’s lives. Even so, scepticism should not prevent progress. It should encourage better design, stronger security and higher standards.

In the coming years, many companies will build AI tools for healthcare. Some will succeed because their technology is impressive. Others will succeed because people trust them enough to use it. In healthcare, the second may matter even more than the first.