In a landmark move to enforce Nigeria’s data protection laws, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has slammed Multichoice Nigeria with a ₦766 million fine for serious breaches of its data privacy regulations.
The fine follows a detailed investigation into Multichoice’s data handling practices, which revealed that the pay-TV giant engaged in unauthorized cross-border transfers of subscriber data and collected excessive customer information without clear legal justification.
NDPC’s Head of Legal, Babatunde Bamigboye, said that Multichoice’s actions were “intrusive, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” posing significant privacy risks to millions of subscribers and their associates.
The Commission had previously issued compliance directives to Multichoice to rectify the infractions, but after months of non-compliance, the regulator imposed the fine to serve as a deterrent to other big players in the broadcast and telecom sectors.
“This is not just about Multichoice. It’s about setting an example that no organization is too big to flout Nigeria’s data protection laws,” Bamigboye said.
The NDPC’s decision has been welcomed by data privacy advocates who say it signals Nigeria’s readiness to hold large corporations accountable for how they collect, store, and share personal information.
Industry analysts believe the move could prompt more companies in sectors like fintech, e-commerce, and telecommunications to prioritize compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) or risk hefty penalties.
Multichoice is yet to issue an official statement on whether it will appeal the sanction or pay the fine.
