The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, was represented as the Head of the Nigerian delegation at the Regional Data Governance Exchange in Nairobi, hosted by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Kenya, by the Head of Finance Management and Control at the NDPC, Mr Olufemi Ibitayo.
Mr Ibitayo delivered an insightful presentation that highlighted the evolution of data protection and privacy in Nigeria. He noted that, with robust national regulation and an independent Data Protection Authority, Nigeria is now firmly established as a globally recognised destination for Foreign Direct Investment. Speaking on its economic impact, he shared that the data protection ecosystem in Nigeria has expanded into a ₦16.3 billion industry within three years of formal regulation, with more potential for growth.
On the regulatory front, he explained the NDPC’s “Compliance First, Not Punishment” philosophy, which utilises collaborative tools like Pre-Action Conferences (PAC) to balance accountability with regulatory oversight. He noted that the NDPC is prioritising international cooperation and building for the future with plans to develop regulatory technology (RegTech) solutions, establish a regulatory sandbox, and launch a data privacy innovation lab.
Organised by the Data Governance in Africa Initiative, the exchange aims to strengthen institutional capacities and foster partnerships. The initiative brought together seven nations for peer learning. The participating countries, apart from Nigeria, are Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Somalia, and South Africa.
