The National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, has raised concern over the low level of data protection compliance among advertising agencies in Nigeria, revealing that only 12.3 per cent are currently compliant with the relevant regulations.
Olatunji disclosed this while delivering the keynote address at a webinar organised by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) titled, “Understanding Data Protection and Its Regulatory Framework: Applicability to the Nigerian Advertising Industry.”
The Director-General of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, delivered the welcome address at the virtual event, which brought together members of ARCON and experts and stakeholders in the advertising industry.
Olatunji commended Fadolapo for convening the session, describing the engagement as timely given the rapid transformation of the advertising industry and the growing importance of data in modern advertising.
He traced the evolution of advertising from traditional media to the digital era, noting that data has increasingly become a major driver of advertising decisions.
According to him, the growing deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and other data-driven technologies has further heightened the need for advertisers to ensure that personal data is collected, processed and used responsibly.
The NDPC boss urged advertising practitioners and agencies to make data protection and privacy a priority by implementing appropriate measures to safeguard personal data in their custody.
He also took participants through key data protection principles and obligations under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, stressing the importance of understanding and complying with the provisions of the law.
Olatunji emphasised that organisations handling personal data must respect the rights of data subjects and put mechanisms in place to enable individuals to exercise those rights effectively.
He warned that failure to comply with data protection requirements could expose organisations to regulatory consequences while eroding public confidence in the advertising industry.
Expressing concern over the sector’s compliance level, the National Commissioner called for concerted efforts to improve adherence to data protection requirements, noting that the current 12.3 per cent compliance rate among advertising agencies was inadequate.
He further advocated stronger collaboration and increased engagement between the NDPC and ARCON to deepen the culture of privacy, accountability and responsible data processing within the advertising industry.
The webinar provided participants with insights into the increasingly complex relationship between advertising, artificial intelligence and data protection, while underscoring the need for responsible data processing and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital advertising ecosystem.
