By Months after President Bola Tinubu directed all ministries and government bodies to adhere to Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023, several key agencies, including INEC, remain without mandatory privacy policies or cookie alerts on their websites. Experts warn this oversight undermines citizens’ data protection rights.
Recent checks reveal that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s website lacks the essential cookie notification and privacy policy that inform visitors about data handling practices. Similar lapses were identified on other government portals, raising legal and ethical concerns. Privacy and data specialists pointed out that these omissions contravene the enforcement provisions intended to protect individuals’ personal information.
According to Barrister Oladipupo Ige, Director of Policy at the Data Privacy Lawyers Association, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s guidelines explicitly require all entities controlling or processing data to feature prominent, interactive cookie and privacy notices on the main page of their digital platforms. He emphasized that placing such notices in obscure areas diminishes transparency and user awareness.
No system is flawless, but privacy policies and cookie prompts represent the baseline for protection. Agencies should urgently reassess their websites to align with legal standards and cultivate robust data privacy practices nationwide…government bodies must take this seriously to foster a culture of responsible data stewardship – Ige
Solomon Okedara, a digital rights expert, reinforced the need for government institutions to treat these disclosures as legal obligations, not mere formalities. The absence of such protocols on official sites, he noted, not only breaks current laws but weakens public trust in how authorities manage sensitive information. He called on regulatory bodies like the NDPC to intensify oversight and enforce compliance among public agencies.
Barrister Olalekan Bosede added that under Section 24 of the NDPA 2023, transparency through clear privacy policies and cookie alerts is mandatory for all government-operated online services. He stressed that this responsibility restates the government’s accountability to citizens regarding data processing activities.
President Tinubu’s analogy of data as the “new oil” shows its growing value and the urgent need for responsible management. Strengthening enforcement mechanisms and cultivating public confidence will be critical as Nigeria advances in its digital governance agenda.
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