Concerns over weak data protection governance and inconsistent compliance across corporate institutions took centre stage as the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria explored strategic collaboration to strengthen institutional leadership and accountability.
The issue came into focus during a courtesy visit by a CIoD Nigeria delegation to the NDPC, led by Alhaji Lamis Dikko, Second Vice President of the Institute, who represented the President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Otunba Adetunji Oyebanji. The engagement highlighted growing recognition within the corporate sector that effective governance must now extend beyond boardroom ethics to include robust data protection and privacy frameworks.
Alhaji Dikko noted that the visit was driven by CIoD Nigeria’s mandate to build leaders who govern with integrity, competence, and accountability in support of national development. He stressed that as digital transformation deepens across sectors, corporate directors must be equipped to understand and oversee data protection obligations, making collaboration with the NDPC both timely and necessary.
Responding, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, underscored data protection as a governance issue rather than a purely technical concern. He pointed out that CIoD Nigeria, classified as a data controller of major importance, has a critical role to play in modelling compliance and influencing best practices across corporate Nigeria. According to him, adherence to data protection principles is essential for building trust, strengthening investor confidence, and enhancing institutional credibility.
Dr Olatunji identified persistent compliance gaps within corporate entities as a key challenge, noting that many organisations still underestimate the reputational and regulatory risks associated with data breaches and privacy violations. He argued that closer collaboration with CIoD Nigeria could help address this challenge by embedding data protection governance into board-level training, leadership development, and continuous professional education.
Both institutions signalled readiness to collaborate in practical areas including capacity building, compliance support, public awareness, policy dialogue, and continuous learning. Dr Olatunji disclosed that a proposed Memorandum of Understanding would formalise shared objectives, clarify roles, and outline implementation strategies aimed at driving measurable improvements in data protection compliance across the corporate sector.
The engagement reflects a broader shift in Nigeria’s regulatory landscape, where data protection is increasingly viewed as a core pillar of corporate governance and sustainable business practice, rather than a regulatory afterthought.
