Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has said the federal government generated N12 billion from promoting and enforcing data protection regulations in 2024.
According to the commission’s annual report released on Tuesday, the development marks a 200 per cent increase from the N4 billion recorded in 2021.
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The NDPC attributed the increase in revenue to strict enforcement policies and enhanced regulatory compliance measures for data protection organisations.
The number of organisations embracing data protection has increased, as reflected in the commission’s compliance audit returns.
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Between 2020 and 2021, the NDPC recorded 1,864 compliance reports from organisations, while between 2023 and 2024, this figure rose to 4,691, indicating an increase in awareness and adherence to data protection regulations.
In 2024, the commission investigated 213 privacy breaches, unauthorised data sharing, and non-compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).
The data protection sector also became a major employment generator, creating 23,000 jobs in 2024, up from 10,123 in 2023.
Additionally, the number of Verified Data Protection Officers (DPOs) increased from 362 to 2,888 in the same period, showing an increasing demand for trained professionals.
In Nigeria, data privacy is enshrined as a constitutional right, as stated in Section 37 of the Constitution, which protects the privacy of citizens’ homes, correspondence, telephone conversations, and telegraphic communications.
In July 2024, the Nigerian government imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for violating local consumer, data protection, and privacy laws concerning Facebook and WhatsApp. This penalty reflects Nigeria’s recent efforts to strengthen and update its data protection laws.
Previously, data privacy was predicated on the Data Protection Regulations of 2019, which outlined the lawful processing of data, data subject rights, and the responsibilities of data controllers and processors.
However, these regulations were criticised for their limited scope, prompting the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) in 2023.
The NDPA strengthened the 2019 Regulations by introducing stronger provisions on lawful data processing, consent, data security, and strict penalties for violations.
NDPC creating job opportunities for over 500,000 Nigerians
During a press briefing in Abuja to mark Global Privacy Day 2025, NDPC National Commissioner and CEO Vincent Olatunji announced the commission’s commitment to creating 500,000 jobs in the data protection ecosystem.
To achieve this goal, Mr Olatunji said that the NDPC has launched a nationwide data protection training program for 500 individuals.
“The first 500 that have been trained definitely will be employed. That is what we want, and that is part of our contributions to pillar 2 of Mr President’s Renewed Hope agenda, economic empowerment and job creation.
“You can imagine what we can achieve by creating 500 jobs in this ecosystem, and our promise is that we will actually create 500,000 jobs within the private ecosystem in Nigeria. And the journey has started. We have launched it, it has taken off,” he said.
The national commissioner explained that the first 500 trainees, fully sponsored by the federal government, are currently undergoing training, with some preparing for their final certification exams.
He said the program kicked off last week with 100 trainees each in Abuja and Lagos, with additional cohorts following.
“The government has paid for 500 people to be trained. It took off last week, the first cohort of 100 in Abuja and 100 in Lagos. It was successfully completed last week. So we have 200 that we trained that are ready to prepare for the exams. As we speak, another 100 are going to Abuja and another 100 in Lagos. And the last batch will happen next week,” he said.
Mr Olatunji noted that the training is conducted in collaboration with various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to ensure seamless employment opportunities upon completion.
“So we are doing 300 in Abuja, being the federal capital with a lot of federal ministers, departments and organisations that we want to actually employ them, engage them at DPOs, and Lagos, being the financial capital of the country, the economy capital, where you have a lot of financials.
“And another thing that we have done is to encourage their DPOs to have them as uptakers. The DPOs will be the uptakers. So if a company does not take you, DPOs will take you, and if they know your capacity, you’re able to deliver, you’re able to support them, they can employ you,” he said.
The commissioner also emphasised that beyond domestic achievements, the NDPC is enhancing international partnerships to align Nigeria with global best practices.
He stated that the commission has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with data protection authorities in Canada and Dubai and also strengthening participation in global privacy initiatives, including the Global Privacy Assembly and the Network of African Data Protection Authorities.
