The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has stated that the country’s data privacy ecosystem has the potential to drive Nigeria towards a trillion-dollar economy.
A data privacy ecosystem is a system that ensures personal and business data is kept safe from misuse, hacking, or unauthorized access.
This was disclosed by the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, during a news conference in Abuja to mark the 2025 Global Privacy Day on January 28.
Dr. Olatunji emphasized that Nigeria’s adoption of the Nigeria Data Protection-Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (NDP-SRAP), increased localization of technology, and global collaborations could significantly boost the economy.
“We can’t keep relying on foreign technologies for what we are doing here, so our local content must be encouraged. In NDPC, our platforms, services, portals, and websites are locally developed, and they are very robust enough for us to use.
“This can drive technologies and we are talking of operating a trillion-dollar economy for this country that will be driven by digital technologies,” he stated,
He also pointed out that the private sector could contribute significantly through services such as audit filings, registration of data controllers, and reporting breaches.
Startups and localization
Dr. Olatunji urged startups to take advantage of the opportunities in the data privacy sector, stressing that the ecosystem holds immense potential. He also highlighted the importance of aligning global data privacy principles with Nigerian laws.
“All we want is for you to adapt the local laws of wherever you want to practice. The principles of data protection and security are the same worldwide and the knowledge you acquire here can take you anywhere,” he said.
- The NDPC commissioner emphasized the commission’s commitment to capacity building, revealing that the NDPC had trained 55,529 individuals and conducted 5,351 capacity-building programmes to date.
He further emphasized the need for indigenous digital technologies to reduce dependence on foreign solutions.
“Our law applies even when Nigerian data is processed outside the country, and collaborating with foreign data protection agencies allows us to exchange knowledge effectively,” he noted.
Global recognitions
Dr. Olatunji highlighted Nigeria’s growing reputation in global data privacy discussions, citing the country’s acceptance into the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) and its selection to host the 2025 Network of African Data Protection Authorities conference.
He also disclosed that the commission had signed Memoranda of Understanding with data protection authorities in Canada and the United Arab Emirates to facilitate cross-border knowledge sharing.
As part of its efforts to strengthen data privacy awareness and compliance, the NDPC launched the International Journal of Data Privacy and Protection and released its 2024 annual report during the event.
