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Data Breaches: We’ll intensify imposition of fines on violators in 2025-NDPC
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has announced plans to significantly ramp up enforcement and impose substantial fines on data controllers and processors that violate the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) of 2023.
This was disclosed by the National Commissioner/CEO of the Commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, in a video outlining the Commission’s 2025 agenda, shared on its social media platforms.
Dr Olatunji stated: “For data controllers and processors, there is going to be massive enforcement. We have never really issued any fine, but going forward, you’ll hear us giving heavy penalties.” He assured Nigerians that their data rights, as guaranteed by the NDPA, will be fully protected, and defaulting data controllers and processors will face strict consequences.
The Commissioner highlighted the NDPC’s extensive engagements with stakeholders across public and private sectors to promote awareness and compliance with the Commission’s mandate. These efforts have resulted in the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with key organisations, including the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), the Data Privacy Office of Canada, and the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority (DIFC), among others.
Dr Olatunji also shared that the NDPC will advance to the second phase of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (NDP-SRAP 2023-2027) in 2025. This phase is expected to create job opportunities within Nigeria’s data protection and privacy ecosystem, particularly for young people. The Commission has been actively training Nigerians in data protection and privacy, creating a pool of globally competitive experts within the data protection sector in 2025.
“There are a lot of data controllers and processors that are looking for people to work with them. Now those that we have trained in 2024, those we have certified, we are going to do more this year to actually launch them to the job market where they can really work with data controllers and processors,” he said.
Additionally, the NDPC will continue nationwide efforts to promote data protection awareness. The Commission aims to educate citizens about their rights and the importance of data privacy while reminding data controllers and processors of their obligations under the NDP Act. Dr Olatunji emphasised that these initiatives are part of the broader goal to embed a culture of data protection and privacy in Nigeria.
As part of its international engagement efforts, Nigeria will host the “Network of African Data Protection Authorities Conference” in May 2025, with over 40 nations with existing data protection laws expected to attend. According to Dr Olatunji, this global event will position Nigeria as a leader in the data protection ecosystem, and bring significant economic benefits to the country.
The NDPC reiterated its commitment to ensuring data protection and privacy become integral to Nigeria’s digital landscape, building trust and fostering economic growth.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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