The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, has stressed the need for deeper international collaboration to strengthen data protection, privacy, and cross-border data flows within Nigeria’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem.
Dr Olatunji made this known while delivering the welcome remarks on Day Two of the Workshop on the United States of America–Nigeria Data Protection Privacy Project, organised by the United States Department of State in collaboration with the Future of Privacy Forum.
He described the two-day workshop as a significant milestone in the evolving partnership between Nigeria and the United States on data protection and privacy governance, noting that the progress recorded by the NDPC since its establishment has been largely driven by strategic collaborations with local and international stakeholders.
According to him, the strong turnout of key actors across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem at the workshop reflects the sector’s steady growth and highlights the urgent need for collective action to safeguard personal data, build trust, and sustain innovation.
Dr Olatunji drew attention to Nigeria’s associate membership of the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) system, explaining that effective and secure cross-border data transfers—when all required data protection and privacy safeguards are met—would significantly enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian businesses.
He noted that a trusted data transfer framework is critical to positioning Nigeria more favourably in the global digital marketplace, particularly as technology-driven sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, health tech, and digital services continue to expand.
The NDPC boss also expressed appreciation to the United States Government and its development partners for supporting the workshop, describing it as a timely intervention that aligns with Nigeria’s broader digital economy and data governance objectives.
The workshop attracted high-level participation from policymakers and regulators, including the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Salisu Afolabi Salisu; the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Honourable Adedeji Stanley Olajide; the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; and the Counsellor for Economic Affairs at the United States Embassy in Nigeria, Ms Christine Harbaugh, alongside other stakeholders from across the digital ecosystem.
Participants at the workshop examined practical pathways for strengthening privacy enforcement, enabling responsible cross-border data flows, and fostering regulatory cooperation to support innovation while protecting the rights of data subjects in Nigeria.