NDPC, Mastercard Partner to Boost Data Protection Capacity in Nigeria
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global payments giant, Mastercard, to strengthen data protection capacity and compliance in Nigeria.
The agreement was sealed on Friday during a one-day intensive workshop for Data Protection Officers (DPOs) held in Abuja, aimed at enhancing practical skills for conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) in accordance with Section 28 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).
Speaking at the event, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, said the partnership is a significant step toward professionalizing data protection in Nigeria and deepening compliance across sectors.
“We are targeting to build the capacity of 250,000 certified Data Protection Officers annually, and we are working with partners like Mastercard to achieve that,” Olatunji announced.
He emphasized that human capital development remains a core focus of the Commission’s regulatory agenda, noting that Nigeria’s data ecosystem is still in its infancy and requires urgent upskilling of professionals.
“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 said.
Olatunji urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity, citing the evolving nature of Nigeria’s data protection landscape and the growing need for skilled practitioners.
Nigeria’s data protection sector has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, spurred by the country’s digital transformation and rising demand for compliance services. According to NDPC data, the sector generated N12 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach N13.8 billion in 2025, a 15% increase.
In its 2024 Annual Report, the Commission disclosed that it created 23,000 jobs in the data protection industry—up from 10,123 in 2023—representing a 127% growth. Verified Data Protection Officers also increased to 2,888 in 2024 from 1,955 the previous year.
The NDPC has also intensified enforcement, imposing over N400 million in fines on seven companies for various data breaches as of June 2024. More than 1,000 investigations were conducted across sectors such as financial services and digital lending platforms.
Looking ahead, the Commission warned that from 2025, it would begin imposing stiffer penalties on data controllers and processors who flout provisions of the NDPA.
The partnership with Mastercard marks a major milestone in NDPC’s effort to build a robust and accountable data protection ecosystem, driven by skilled professionals and strong regulatory enforcement.
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