The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, led the Nigerian delegation to the ongoing 2026 Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RAPDP) Conference and Annual General Meeting taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
With the theme, “The Regulation of Innovative Technologies: Issues, Challenges and Prospects for Data Protection Authorities in Africa”, the opening ceremony featured addresses from the Honourable Minister of Digital Economy, Telecommunications and Innovation of Côte d’Ivoire, Roger Felix; the Honourable President of NADPA-RAPDP, Mr Iro Adamou; and the Director General of the Côte d’Ivoire Data Protection Authority, Djibril Ouattara.
As a panellist in a session titled, “Personal Data and Fintech Regulation of Financial Inclusion,” Dr Olatunji shared strategic insights on governing privacy in the rapidly expanding financial sector, noting that with the fintech market projected to skyrocket from $10 billion in 2023 to $67 billion by 2030, safeguarding personal data is necessary for building trust and confidence in the ecosystem.
He also provided practical approaches the NDPC has implemented to ensure privacy in the financial sector, especially in enforcing the principles for processing personal data, combatting predatory practices by working with other relevant regulators to address extreme privacy violations by digital lenders, and the issuance of sector-specific guidelines. He spoke on the tiered regulatory measures for SMEs, guidance on implementing “Privacy by Design” measures, and conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) to encourage compliance and not stifle innovation.
The event was graced by numerous Heads of Data Protection Authorities across Africa, dignitaries from the Côte d’Ivoire public sector, as well as international organisations, stakeholders, and industry partners.
