The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission have signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation on data privacy and protection enforcement in the telecommunications sector, as regulators intensify efforts to safeguard Nigerians’ personal information in a rapidly digitising economy.
The MoU was signed on Thursday at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, with officials from both agencies describing the agreement as a critical step toward stronger, coordinated regulation of data controllers and processors operating in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Speaking at the ceremony, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, said the partnership reflected the growing importance of personal data protection to citizens’ rights and national development.
“We are set up to take care of something that is very significant to our civil condition and to Nigeria as a country. All of us give out our information all over the world. Once you give out your data, you have handed it over to a third party that you no longer have control over,” Olatunji said.
He said the global shift toward stricter data protection was driven by the need to protect citizens from misuse of information shared in public and commercial spaces, stressing that personal data was a fundamental right.
According to him, this year’s global data privacy theme, ‘Own Your Data’, underscored the need for individuals to understand and exercise control over how their data is used.
“Data controllers and processors must obey the laws and regulations governing data privacy. As a data subject, you have the right to exercise your rights. That is why it is important to look at data privacy in a way that benefits our people and our country,” he said.
Olatunji recalled that Nigeria began formal efforts on data protection in 2019 and now has full national legislation on data privacy and protection, following the law’s enactment in June 2023.
He noted that effective enforcement required close collaboration with sector regulators, particularly in telecoms, given the volume of data generated within the industry.
“It is always difficult to go into a sector and implement your mandate effectively without involving the regulator of that sector,” he said. “We are not taking over the mandate of the telecom regulator. We are adding value to what you are doing, and you add value to what we are doing.”
He described the telecom sector as strategic to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, noting that nearly every Nigerian owned at least one mobile line, resulting in massive volumes of personal data held by mobile network operators.
“How do you ensure that the rights, interests, and freedoms of Nigerians are adequately protected by these data controllers and processors?” he asked. “We cannot do it without you. It is your mandate to regulate this sector.”
Olatunji said the MoU was the result of months of engagement between the two institutions and should not be treated as a ceremonial document.
“We do not want this MoU signed and kept on the shelf. We want to sign and commence implementation immediately to ensure that the privacy and protection of Nigerians’ data is properly taken care of,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, said the agreement reflected the evolving role of the telecom regulator in a data-driven economy.
He said the commission had successfully overseen Nigeria’s transition from about 500,000 telephone lines to nearly 200 million active lines, connecting over 100 million unique subscribers, but the sector was now entering a new phase.
“We are no longer just connecting people,” Maida said. “We now have a mandate to enable Nigerians, enable businesses, and enable citizens, especially as we move into the era of automation and artificial intelligence.”
According to him, data had become the backbone of that new era, as emerging technologies depended on information generated by users of digital platforms.
He stressed that regulators had a duty not only to enable access to technology but also to ensure that citizens retained control over their personal data.
“People need to know that they have data, they need to be aware of the data they are generating, and they need to know their rights around that data,” he said. “If they don’t know it, somebody will monetise it. When platforms are said to be free, they are not really free. Somebody is using your data.”
Maida warned that failure to properly govern data could pose risks to national sovereignty, particularly as artificial intelligence systems increasingly relied on large volumes of fresh data to remain relevant.
“The future is data,” he said. “If we do not get the principles of how we govern it right, even our sovereignty as a nation is threatened.”
He assured the NDPC of the NCC’s full support in implementing the MoU, adding that the commission would work collaboratively to ensure communication networks remained robust while protecting citizens’ data.
In November 2025, The PUNCH reported that the NCC said it was revising key regulatory instruments governing Nigeria’s telecoms industry to address emerging risks in the digital space and ensure that operators comply with stricter standards on internet use, data protection, and online safety.
Maida said the move was necessary to keep pace with rapid technological changes that had “revolutionised communications and are pushing the limits on established concepts.”
