The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, has revealed that Nigeria’s data protection and privacy ecosystem is now valued at approximately ₦16.2 billion, positioning the country as an emerging global player in data governance.
Dr Olatunji credited this achievement to strategic reforms implemented by the Commission following the signing into law of the Nigeria Data Protection Act by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Data Protection and Privacy Summit, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 National Privacy Week.
In less than four years, Dr Olatunji said, the NDPC has transformed into a global reference point in data protection. He noted that 12 countries are currently understudying Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem, while several institutions have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the NDPC to replicate its regulatory framework abroad.
“Nigeria is no longer a spectator in the global data protection space. We have become a reference point,” he said.
The NDPC boss commended President Tinubu for signing the Data Protection Act into law and praised the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, for fostering a policy environment that has strengthened growth and credibility in the sector.
Dr Olatunji further disclosed that the Commission has concluded investigations into 246 data privacy breaches involving public and private institutions across the country, applying appropriate sanctions and remediation measures in accordance with the law.
Beyond regulatory enforcement, he highlighted the sector’s economic impact: over 23,000 new jobs have been created within the data protection ecosystem since the Act’s enactment, while the Federal Government has earned ₦5.2 billion in compliance-related revenue.
“As of today, the value of Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem stands at over ₦16.2 billion, and this growth trajectory continues,” Dr Olatunji stated.
The ongoing National Privacy Week, themed “Privacy in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics, and Innovation,” commenced on January 28 and will conclude on February 4 with the summit. The programme is aimed at raising awareness and educating both public and private sector actors on the role of data protection in national security, economic development, and digital transformation.
Highlighting key regulatory initiatives, Dr Olatunji said the Commission launched a multi-sector compliance drive, issuing notices to 1,348 organisations in August 2025 across the banking, insurance, pension, and gaming sectors. This drive strengthened stakeholder engagement and informed subsequent enforcement actions.
