The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), led by the Head of Research and Development Department, Dr Tolulope Pius-Fadipe

received in audience a delegation of Finnish cybersecurity experts led by Ms. Maria Ruuskanen, Trade Officer at the Embassy of Finland.

The meeting focused on a project under the AU–EU Data Governance in Africa Initiative, implemented by Gofore Ltd. in cooperation with HAUS (Finland) and GIZ (Germany). Nigeria is one of the focus countries, alongside Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, and Senegal. The project aims to develop cybersecurity guidelines for data centres, complemented by training materials and evaluation tools, to strengthen resilience and enhance alignment with both African and international standards.

Discussions during the meeting covered key areas, including national priorities for secure data infrastructure and digital resilience, the role of policy and regulation in balancing data sovereignty, localisation, and regional integration, as well as strategies for collaboration between government institutions, regulators, and private sector operators to promote the adoption of cybersecurity best practices.

The meeting also explored proposed cooperation between the NDPC and the Finland Data Protection Authority, along with other potential areas of collaboration.