The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing data governance, regulatory compliance and digital trust across Africa, following its participation at the 3rd edition of the POTRAZ Data Protection and Privacy Symposium held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, was represented at the event by Abiola Jide-Abe.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Commission, Jide-Abe emphasized Nigeria’s dedication to strengthening continental collaboration, encouraging knowledge exchange, and promoting global best practices in privacy protection, data governance, regulatory enforcement and digital trust frameworks.
The symposium convened regulators, policymakers and data protection stakeholders from across Africa to deliberate on emerging issues surrounding privacy rights, compliance mechanisms, regulatory enforcement and cross-border cooperation in the digital ecosystem. Delegations from Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi, Botswana and host nation Zimbabwe participated in the discussions.
On the sidelines of the event, Jide-Abe received the Africa Privacy Scorecard Report on behalf of Nigeria. The report serves as a key continental benchmark assessing the status of data protection and privacy implementation across African countries, highlighting progress, regulatory maturity and areas requiring improvement.
The NDPC also played a prominent role during a high-level panel discussion titled “Compliance and Enforcement: Lessons from African Data Protection Authorities and the Regulators’ Roundtable on Harmonising Data Protection Laws Across Africa.” Nigeria was represented by Busayomi Oludotun and Ayomide Victor Ogunjimade.
According to participants, the Nigerian delegation presented practical templates and regulatory approaches developed by the NDPC, offering models that could be adapted and replicated by other African countries seeking to strengthen their data protection ecosystems.
The engagement reflects Nigeria’s growing influence in shaping conversations around privacy regulation and digital governance on the continent. Under the leadership of Vincent Olatunji, the NDPC has intensified efforts to improve compliance, increase awareness of data privacy rights, strengthen institutional capacity and position Nigeria as a leading voice in Africa’s evolving digital economy.
Observers note that as digital transactions, artificial intelligence and cross-border data flows continue to expand, harmonised data protection laws and stronger continental cooperation will become increasingly critical for building trust and safeguarding citizens’ information across Africa.