The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has intensified efforts to strengthen data privacy compliance in Nigeria’s e-commerce sector, with the National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Vincent Olatunji, stressing the need to build greater trust around the handling of personal data.
Olatunji made the call while delivering the keynote address and declaring open a Validation Workshop on the Data Privacy Framework for e-Commerce, organised by the NDPC in partnership with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
The workshop is aimed at strengthening sectoral compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act), while providing stakeholders with an opportunity to review and contribute to the proposed framework.
The NDPC chief commended GIZ for its continued support to the Commission since its establishment, noting that data protection and privacy remain critical to the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
He emphasised the importance of broad stakeholder consultation in fulfilling the Commission’s mandate, explaining that the Abuja workshop was a follow-up to an earlier validation exercise held in Lagos, which involved private-sector stakeholders.
According to him, the Abuja session was specifically designed to obtain additional inputs from public-sector stakeholders, particularly Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to ensure that the framework reflects the realities and needs of the wider digital economy.
Olatunji underscored the growing importance of e-commerce to Nigeria’s digital economy, stressing that businesses can only thrive when customers, as data subjects, are confident that their personal information is safe and adequately protected.
He illustrated the importance of trust in the digital marketplace, warning that unlawful collection and processing of personal data, including profiling, could expose individuals and businesses to significant risks.
The NDPC boss also highlighted the consequences of non-compliance with the NDP Act, urging organisations operating within the e-commerce ecosystem to take data protection obligations seriously and embed privacy safeguards into their operations.
He noted that a robust data protection framework would not only promote compliance but also strengthen consumer confidence and support the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The workshop was attended by the Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Dr Karin Jansen, who represented the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nigeria, H.E. Annett Günther.
Representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, alongside other stakeholders in the digital economy sector, also participated in the validation exercise.
The initiative underscored the NDPC’s commitment to championing privacy rights and promoting responsible data processing as Nigeria continues to expand its digital economy.
