In a move to enhance data privacy and protection in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen regulatory cooperation and safeguard citizens’ personal data.
The agreement provides a structured framework for both agencies to collaborate in enforcing data protection standards and ensuring regulatory synergy within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said data protection and privacy have become critical to the future of the communications sector, especially as Nigeria advances into the digital and artificial intelligence era.
Maida noted that effective data regulation is essential to sustaining trust, innovation, and growth, adding that Nigeria’s telecom sector has grown from about 500,000 connected telephone lines to over 170 million active connections.
According to him, the next phase of growth will be driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which depend heavily on data generated by users.
“People need to be aware of the data they generate and understand their rights around it. If they don’t know, someone will monetise it. When platforms are said to be free, they are not really free – somebody is using your data,” he said.
He further described data as a key component of national sovereignty, stressing that Nigeria must continue to generate fresh, locally relevant data within a trusted regulatory environment.
On his part, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, described the MoU as vital for protecting Nigerians’ data and ensuring effective sector-wide enforcement.
“It is difficult to implement data protection effectively in any sector without working with the sector regulator. We are not taking over the mandate of the NCC; we are adding value to each other’s work”, he said.
Dr. Olatunji emphasized that the MoU would not remain on paper but would be implemented immediately to strengthen data governance, capacity building and regulatory coordination.
Both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to streamlining regulatory processes, avoiding overlaps in their statutory mandates, and working jointly to ensure that personal information in the communications sector is properly protected.
The partnership is expected to significantly strengthen Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem and build public confidence in the country’s digital economy.
