As part of activities during the Regional Data Governance Exchange in Nairobi, the Nigerian delegation, led by the Head of Finance Management and Control at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Mr Olufemi Ibitayo, and fellow African regulators, engaged with privacy professionals from Kenya’s private sector, including representatives of Safaricom, Visa, AWS, and the banking industry.

Industry players highlighted the operational burdens of complying with multiple African data protection laws and strongly advocated greater regional harmonisation, predictable enforcement, and mutual recognition of compliance documentation across jurisdictions. Exploring actionable solutions, delegates discussed opportunities for interoperable data governance under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The delegates also visited the headquarters of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) for a courtesy meeting with the Commissioner, Ms Immaculate Kassait. Ms Kassait urged the participating DPAs to utilise partnerships, stating that she learned the public-private partnership (PPP) model from the National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji. Following a guided tour of the operational units, Nigeria shared its unique regulatory experiences, detailing its successful engagement with Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) and enforcement strategies.

The week of peer learning culminated in a closing plenary focused on the adoption of key lessons and firm commitments to continued collaboration among participating regulators. Reiterating the importance of knowledge sharing, harmonisation, and sustained cooperation, the exchange has laid a robust foundation for strengthening data governance ecosystems across the African continent.