Nigeria’s telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the country’s data protection watchdog, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), to implement a structured data privacy and protection in the telecommunications industry.
The MoU, which is in response to the rapidly growing pace of digitization and the need to strengthen the enforcement of data privacy, provides a structured framework for both organisations to formalize a shared commitment to advancing data protection and regulatory synergy in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Speaking during the signing at the NCC Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Aminu Maida noted that data protection and privacy regulations have become important to the future of the communications industry and that effective regulation of data within the sector is critical to sustaining trust, innovation, and growth, particularly as Nigeria transitions deeper into the digital and artificial intelligence era.
Dr. Maida stated that the NCC remains committed to cooperation with the NDPC to ensure that the privacy rights of Nigerians are adequately protected, while maintaining a resilient and forward-looking communications network. He highlighted the remarkable growth of the sector, noting that Nigeria has evolved from about 500,000 connected telephone lines to over 170 million active connections today, reflecting the Commission’s mandate to not only connect Nigerians but also enable businesses, innovation, and national development.
According to the EVC, the next phase of growth lies in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), which cannot function without data generated by users of digital platforms. He stressed that data is produced by people, belongs to people, and that citizens must be aware of the data they generate and the rights attached to it. He warned that where such awareness is lacking, data risks being monetized without the consent or benefit of its owners.
“People need to be aware of the data they are generating, and they need to know their rights around that data. If they don’t know it, somebody will monetize it. When platforms are said to be free, they are not really free. Somebody is using your data.
“The future is data. If we do not get the principles of how we govern it right, even our national sovereignty could be undermined,” Dr. Maida said.
Speaking further, Dr. Maida described data as a critical component of national sovereignty, noting that for artificial intelligence to remain relevant and beneficial to Nigeria, the country must continue to generate fresh, locally relevant data within a trusted regulatory environment.
In his remarks, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, described the MoU as essential for protecting the data of Nigerians. He said, “It is always difficult to go into a sector and implement your mandate effectively without involving the regulator of that sector. We are not taking over the mandate of the telecom regulator. We are adding value to what you are doing, and you add value to what we are doing.
“We do not want this MoU signed and kept on the shelf. We want to sign and commence implementation immediately to ensure that the privacy and protection of Nigerians’ data is properly taken care of,” he said.
Dr. Olatunji noted that coordination and collaboration are core pillars of the NDPC’s approach to regulating data protection and safeguarding privacy. He expressed optimism that the partnership with the NCC would enhance effective data governance in the communications sector, adding that both agencies would share knowledge, expertise, and build capacity in areas of mutual regulatory interest to strengthen Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem.
The NCC, as the regulator of telecoms, and the NDPC, as the authority on data protection, share overlapping responsibilities in ensuring that citizens’ personal information is secure. To avoid potential conflicts in the mandates of the two Commissions as enshrined in their respective Acts, and pursuant to their statutory responsibilities, both NCC and NDPC recognize the importance of streamlining the regulatory process to avoid overlaps in their respective mandates and ensure clarity in the regulation of data in the communications sector.
