Nigeria is currently serving as the hub for data protection regulators from across the continent, hosting a high-level summit in Abuja aimed at fortifying cross-border data security and refining personal information safeguards.
The event is organized by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in collaboration with the World Bank and Smart Africa.
It features delegates from nine African nations, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Liberia, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, and The Gambia. Regional heavyweights like ECOWAS and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development are also participating to foster a unified approach to data governance.
During the opening session, NDPC National Commissioner Vincent Olatunji emphasized that Nigeria’s journey offers a blueprint for transitioning from passing laws to active enforcement. He credited the 2024 Data Protection Act, signed by President Bola Tinubu, as the catalyst for the nation’s current regulatory success.
“What we have in Nigeria today is an ecosystem that works. Other countries are interested in how we got here, and we are also learning from them,” Olatunji noted.
He further highlighted that Nigeria has pioneered indigenous digital tools for licensing and compliance, asserting that homegrown technology is vital for maintaining data sovereignty. A primary goal of the summit is to streamline safe data transfers under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
“We are looking at how personal data can move across countries safely, with proper safeguards and enforceable rights,” Olatunji explained.
Elena Gasol, Senior Counsel at the World Bank, added that the focus in Africa has shifted from a lack of legislation to the practical challenges of enforcement. She described the Abuja gathering as a peer-learning platform rather than a lecture, designed for regulators to swap real-world strategies.
