The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global payments leader Mastercard to strengthen data protection capabilities across Nigeria. The agreement was formalized last Friday during a one-day intensive workshop held in Abuja, where 150 Data Protection Officers (DPOs) received hands-on training on conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
This partnership marks a step toward advancing Nigeria’s data governance framework in line with Section 28 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), which mandates a risk-based approach to safeguarding personal data.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the NDPC, emphasized the critical role of human capital in the country’s evolving data ecosystem. He revealed that the commission aims to train 250,000 certified Data Protection Officers annually to deepen compliance with data privacy regulations nationwide.
“We are targeting to build the capacity of 250,000 DPOs annually, and we are working with partners like Mastercard to achieve that,” Dr. Olatunji said. He described Nigeria’s data environment as “new” and “emerging,” underscoring the urgent need for upskilling professionals to meet the demands of a rapidly digitizing economy.
“Human capital is really key to us. The ecosystem we are regulating is very special-it is still new, still emerging, and we need all we can to build the capacity of officers,” he added. Dr. Olatunji encouraged participants to fully leverage the training opportunity to enhance their skills in protecting Nigeria’s digital space.
Mastercard’s Deputy Chief Privacy Officer, Derek Ho, highlighted the importance of collaboration in building trust within the digital economy. He pledged Mastercard’s support through technical expertise, strategic guidance, and global best practices to help Nigeria develop a robust, secure, and responsible data infrastructure.
“Sharing ideas and working together will strengthen trust in the digital economy era,” Ho said during the workshop.
Nigeria’s data protection landscape has seen remarkable growth in recent years, reflecting the country’s digital ambitions and stronger regulatory enforcement. The NDPC projects the sector will generate N13.8 billion in revenue in 2025, a 15% increase from N12 billion in 2024. This growth is driven by a rising number of Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) and expanding demand for compliance services nationwide.
The commission has demonstrated its enforcement resolve by collecting over N400 million in sanctions from companies for various data breaches as of June 2024. It has conducted more than 1,000 investigations across sectors such as financial services and digital lending platforms. Starting in 2025, the NDPC plans to impose heavier fines on data controllers and processors who violate the NDPA.
The 2024 NDPC Annual Report also revealed that 23,000 jobs were created in the data protection industry last year alone, a 127% increase from 10,123 jobs in 2023. The number of verified Data Protection Officers rose to 2,888 in 2024 from 1,955 the previous year.
