•Launches Virtual Privacy Academy
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigeria’s data privacy sector generated over $10 million and created about 23,000 jobs within the last three years.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), revealed this during the eighth edition of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) conference held in Abuja on Tuesday.
“In Nigeria, the data privacy sector has a collective revenue of over $10 million within the space of three years, and the ecosystem has also created about 23,000 jobs also within the space of three years,” Olatunji stated.
He explained that the rapid growth was made possible by a strategic roadmap developed immediately after the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023. The roadmap, he noted, aligned with national policy frameworks and the five pillars of the Federal Ministry of Communications blueprint.
“Our approach has led to the registration of 267 data protection compliance organisations. To a large extent, this has actually driven the level of compliance in terms of registration of data processors and data filing audits in Nigeria, and the feat we have achieved is unprecedented in Africa,” he said.
He added that over 40,000 data controllers and processors had been registered, with more than 5,000 compliance assessments and over 220 investigations carried out within the period.
In terms of government revenue, Olatunji noted that over $1.2 million was generated within two years from registration fees, audit fees, and compliance fees paid by data controllers.
The NDPC boss also announced the establishment of a local certification process aimed at producing globally competitive professionals in the data privacy space. “The first course started in January. We were able to train 500 data protection officers, and we are happy to see that the result was more than 80%. Out of 500, 400 passed,” he said.
In his remarks, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the conference was a testament to Nigeria’s progressive data protection framework.
Represented by Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Shettima emphasised the importance of secure data sharing to Africa’s economic
The VP stated that data was not just a digital resource but a human story told in numbers, which served as a tool to build economic trust.
“As the Africa continent expands the scale of its African exchange, our ability to share data securely and lawfully will define our capacity to thrive.
“That is why forums like this are not only welcome but essential, they offer us the chance to cross-pollinate ideas, to nurture human capital, and to strengthen mechanisms for mutual legal assistance.
“They allow us to create an African consensus on data governance that respects our people and reflects our values, “ he said.
He called on delegates and participants at the conference to utilise the opportunity to shape the right strategies for Africa in the area of data privacy.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications,Innovation and Digital Economy, launched the Nigeria Virtual Privacy Academy, which was part of government’s initiative towards harnessing the benefits of a digital economy.
Being the first of its kind in Africa, Tijani said the academy was aimed at delivering virtual training in data protection and privacy across both the public sector and the private sector.
“Recognising the opportunity across our continent, we have also set up a digital trade desk, a one-stop platform to promote Nigeria’s need to export, while unlocking global market opportunities for tech-enabled businesses.
“To fully harness the benefits of this and other initiatives, we see data as the backbone and digital protection as the shield.
“As we digitise government services, open up digital trade corridors, and advance the need for digital identity on the platform, we must ensure that our value chains are secure, fair, and transparent.
“To this end permit me to launch Data Protection Virtual Academy which offers every Nigerian, from civil servants to private sector employees, to young job seekers, access to practical training on data protection principles and easy cyber identity,” he said.
He added that the academy would leverage the country’s cultural heritage through storytelling and using the platform to promote data privacy.
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