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Nigeria Strengthens Regional Leadership in Data Governance
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), led by its National Commissioner and CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, is hosting a cross-regional data protection peer exchange visit involving representatives from nine African countries. The high-level engagement will take place in Abuja from May 4 to 5, 2026, in collaboration with the World Bank Group and Smart Africa.
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The initiative is designed to promote peer learning, policy alignment, and deeper regional cooperation as Africa’s data governance landscape rapidly evolves.
Advancing Peer Learning and Policy Harmonisation
Speaking at the opening, Dr. Vincent Olatunji commended the World Bank Group and Smart Africa for their sustained commitment to strengthening data protection and privacy across the continent. Tracing the evolution of data protection on the continent, Olatunji made a critical point. As African nations adopt more data-driven technologies, he argued, the data governance ecosystem must become a top priority.
According to him, the peer exchange is timely, offering Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) a practical platform to learn directly from one another, share experiences, and strengthen regulatory effectiveness.
Lessons from Europe, Focus on African Collaboration
Drawing lessons from Europe’s regulatory experience, Dr. Olatunji highlighted the benefits of harmonising data protection laws across Africa. Olatunji urged participating countries to work collaboratively to ensure data controllers and processors meet their obligations to data subjects. Nigeria’s privacy ombudsman also called for increased public awareness of data rights.
He further encouraged DPAs to partner with relevant government agencies and the private sector. The goal is to develop regulations that are not only robust but also implementable within local contexts.
Broad Continental Participation
Countries participating in the peer exchange include Burundi, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Zambia. The programme also features representatives from regional economic blocs, including Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
From Training to Structured Peer Learning
Unlike conventional training programmes, the Abuja engagement is structured as an intensive peer-learning study tour. It provides DPA leaders and technical experts with hands-on exposure to operational models, regulatory instruments, and enforcement tools. These are used by two of Africa’s leading data protection authorities.
Participants will take part in site visits, expert-led sessions, and collaborative workshops across seven priority themes, including secondary regulation, technology tools, and institutional sustainability.
Clear Outcomes and Long-Term Impact
A key outcome of the exchange is the development of a 90-day improvement plan for each participating DPA, ensuring that lessons learned translate into measurable regulatory progress at the national level.
The programme builds on earlier engagements in 2025, when the NDPC hosted DPAs from Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and The Gambia during a data governance study tour organised with the African Union and the European Union.
Positioning Nigeria as a Continental Data Protection Leader
The initiative aligns with the broader vision of Bola Ahmed Tinubu since his assumption of office in 2023. That vision seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s cooperation with other nations in the digital age. The NDPC has implemented robust data protection laws and compliance frameworks. As a result, it has increasingly positioned Nigeria as a leader in data protection regulation in Africa.
his latest peer exchange is expected to deepen cross-border collaboration and accelerate regulatory convergence. It will also enhance digital trust as African nations move toward harmonised data protection standards.
