Nigeria’s data protection model now draws Africa’s interest
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission says reforms launched since 2023 have turned the country into a reference point for data protection and privacy in Africa. Officials credit President Bola Tinubu’s prompt assent to the 2023 Data Protection Act and early policy direction from NDPC chief executive Vincent Olatunji for strengthening the ecosystem. The commission said the law created clear regulatory and supervisory powers, opened new opportunities in the data economy and placed stronger obligations on organisations handling personal data. Banks, schools, hospitals, insurers, telecoms firms and online platforms have been put under stricter oversight, with some sanctioned for data breaches. According to the NDPC, Nigeria’s consistent enforcement and regulatory clarity have attracted attention from across the continent. In the last two years, data regulators from at least eight African countries have visited to study the Nigerian framework with a view […]