KEY POINTS

• NCC and NDPC have signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation on data privacy and protection.

• NDPC says neither agency can protect Nigerians’ data effectively without collaboration.

• NCC says Nigeria is entering a new digital era where data protection is central to national sovereignty and technological growth.

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation on data privacy and protection across Nigeria.

The agreement was signed on Thursday at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, marking a new phase of collaboration between the two regulatory bodies.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner of the NDPC, said the partnership was designed to pool the expertise and institutional strengths of both organisations in order to better safeguard Nigerians’ personal data.

He stressed that neither agency could effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities in isolation, particularly at a time when data is becoming increasingly central to governance, economic development and national growth.

Olatunji urged that the MoU should go beyond a ceremonial signing and be swiftly put into action.

“We do not want this MoU to be signed and left on the shelf. We want it signed and immediately operationalised,” he said.

He also called for the proper empowerment of the joint implementation teams to ensure the agreement delivers tangible results, describing the partnership as beneficial to the country.

NCC: Nigeria Entering New Digital Phase

Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the NCC, assured the NDPC of the commission’s full cooperation, irrespective of sectoral boundaries.

Maida said the NCC had successfully guided Nigeria through an era of connectivity, with active telecom lines growing from about 500,000 to nearly 200 million. He noted, however, that the country was now moving into a more advanced digital phase.

According to him, regulators must now focus not only on connecting Nigerians but also on ensuring that citizens and businesses derive value from emerging technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence.

Maida described data as the backbone of the new digital era, explaining that artificial intelligence systems rely heavily on data generated by individuals through their use of digital platforms.

He stressed the importance of public awareness around data generation and ownership, warning that ignorance could allow third parties to exploit and monetise personal data without consent.

“If people do not know their rights around data, somebody else will monetise it. This is why data protection is extremely important to the future and sovereignty of this nation,” he said.

Maida added that the NCC and NDPC would work closely to ensure communication networks remain reliable while guaranteeing that data generated on those networks is protected in line with Nigerian law.