…designed to reinforce strategic guardrails for data subjects.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has unveiled a two-year data protection initiative in partnership with Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company, aimed at strengthening privacy safeguards, capacity building and regulatory compliance.
The programme, known as the Meta-Supported Initiatives for Data Protection, follows a regulatory engagement between the NDPC and Meta after an investigation into the company’s data processing practices in Nigeria.
The matter was concluded in 2025 through a court-approved settlement under which Meta agreed to support public-facing data protection initiatives aligned with Nigeria’s privacy framework.
In a statement on Monday signed by the Head of Media Unit and Certified Data Protection Officer at the NDPC, Itunu Dosekun, the commission said the initiative is designed to reinforce strategic guardrails for data subjects and will run for two years.
“As part of the settlement, Meta committed to supporting a two-year programme of public-facing data protection measures that aligns with the objectives of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, the NDP Act General Application and Implementation Directive and the NDPC Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2023–2027,” it said.
The M-SIDP programme will focus on four key areas: governance, research and development; strengthening safety and sustainability mechanisms across the technology ecosystem; capacity development for data protection officers and data protection compliance organisations; and public awareness campaigns targeting data subjects, with emphasis on vulnerable groups.
The NDPC said the initiative does not limit its statutory authority, adding that it will continue to independently regulate data processing activities in Nigeria in line with existing laws.
“The commission will consistently provide periodic updates on the implementation of the M-SIDP programme and calls on all stakeholders to support the initiative in advancing a secure and accountable privacy ecosystem in Nigeria,” it said.
Since its establishment as Nigeria’s data protection regulator, the NDPC has sought to position itself as a key institution in the country’s digital economy, increasing scrutiny of how organisations collect, process, store and transfer personal data.
The commission has repeatedly said stronger privacy protections are essential to building trust in digital services and attracting investment into Nigeria’s fast-growing technology sector.
For Meta, the initiative marks an opportunity to reset regulatory relations in one of Africa’s largest internet markets following a dispute that drew attention from policymakers, privacy advocates and technology stakeholders.
