NDPC investigates Temu for alleged violation of Data Protection Act

The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched a probe into e-commerce platform Temu over an alleged breach of the Data Protection Act, involving the personal data of 12.7 million users in Nigeria.

The commission confirmed the investigation in a statement issued by its head of legal, enforcement and regulation, Babatunde Bamigboye, on Monday.

The NDPC noted that the investigation into Temu was triggered by concerns around online surveillance through personal data processing, accountability, and data minimisation.

The Chinese platform made its entry into the Nigerian market in late 2024, accompanied by an intense marketing drive across social media platforms and mobile app stores.

According to the commission, the investigation was ordered by NDPC CEO, Vincent Olatunji, after the e-commerce platform allegedly violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act), 2023, in cross-border data transfer of 12.7 million Nigerian users.

“The NDPC National Commissioner/CEO, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has ordered an immediate investigation of the data processing activities of Temu, which may be in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act), 2023.

“The investigation into Temu was triggered by concerns around online surveillance through personal data processing, accountability, data minimisation requirements, transparency, duty of care, and cross-border data transfer.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that Temu is an e-commerce platform which processes personal information of approximately 12.7 million data subjects in Nigeria, with 70 million daily active users globally,” the statement read.

The commission, through its CEO, Mr Olatunji, further warned against unverified data processing activities, noting it is liable for NDP Act violations and probing.

“The National Commissioner warns that processors who engage in processing activities on behalf of data controllers without verifying their compliance with the NDP Act may be liable under the NDP Act.”

Temu launched in the United States in September 2022 and has since expanded rapidly, reaching more than 90 markets worldwide by 2025, and became the most downloaded app in the US in 2024.