The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has reinforced the country’s commitment to responsible digital growth with a high-level panel discussion at the National Data Privacy Summit, focused on the theme “Innovation without Intrusion: Balancing Data-Driven Growth with Privacy as a Fundamental Right.”
The third panel session of the summit brought together senior leaders from government, global technology firms, financial services, and data risk management to examine how Nigeria can harness the economic value of data while safeguarding citizens’ constitutional rights in an increasingly digital economy.
The session was expertly moderated by Ridwan Oloyede, Emerging Technologies and Policy Lead at Tech Hive Advisory Africa, who guided a robust exchange on the policy, regulatory, and ethical implications of data use across sectors.
Panelists included Nonye Ujam, Director of Government Affairs for West Africa at Microsoft; Stelios Lelis, Chief Data and Risk Officer at Optasia; and Abumere Igboa, Chief Information Security Officer and Data Protection Officer at Stanbic IBTC Bank. Together, they offered perspectives spanning technology innovation, financial inclusion, enterprise risk management, and cybersecurity governance.
Discussions highlighted the growing role of data as a driver of innovation, efficiency, and economic expansion, while stressing that growth must not come at the expense of individual privacy or public trust. Panelists emphasized the need for strong regulatory frameworks, ethical data practices, and continuous collaboration between regulators, the private sector, and civil society.
Social Impact and National Significance
The session underscored data protection as more than a compliance issue, positioning it as a social contract between institutions and citizens. By promoting privacy-by-design, accountability, and transparency, the NDPC is helping to build trust in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem—an essential foundation for digital inclusion, fintech growth, e-government services, and cross-border investment.
As Nigeria accelerates its digital transformation agenda, conversations such as this signal a deliberate shift toward people-centred innovation, where economic progress and fundamental rights are advanced together.
The National Data Privacy Summit continues to serve as a strategic platform for shaping Nigeria’s data governance future, strengthening privacy awareness, and championing the protection of personal data as a cornerstone of sustainable digital development.
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