The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, was represented by the Head of the Commission’s Innovation Unit, Mrs Adaobi Nwankwo, at the 7th Privacy Symposium Africa (PSA 2025), themed “Redefining Privacy, Power, and Trust in Africa’s Digital Future.”

Mrs Nwankwo gave the opening remarks at the event, which had leading regulators, policymakers, civil society, legal professionals, and industry leaders in the data protection and digital governance ecosystem in attendance. She spoke on the need for collaboration and cooperation between relevant stakeholders, noting that it has been established that data protection transcends borders in order to safeguard the privacy of citizens, uphold digital rights, and promote accountability and transparency to build trust in the ecosystem.

She also participated in a panel session with other Data Protection Commissioners across Africa, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Data Protection Commission, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo; Commissioner Likando Lyuwa from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Zambia; as well as the Assistant Director of the Eswatini Data Protection Authority (EDPA), Mr Sicelo Simelane.

The conversation with regulators on the panel highlighted the vital role Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) play in building trust within Africa’s digital economy. As data-driven technologies reshape business, DPAs must safeguard citizens’ rights and drive growth by enforcing transparency and accountability. They exchanged best practices, discussed challenges, and highlighted lessons learned, emphasising strategic initiatives related to transparency, enforcement, and data-breach regulation.