The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially initiated investigations into 17 significant cases of data breaches across various sectors, including finance, technology, education, consulting, government, logistics, and gaming/lottery. Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, revealed these findings at the Global Data Privacy Day event held in Abuja on Sunday. He underscored that the commission received a substantial number of complaints, exceeding 1000, related to data breaches, thereby instigating comprehensive investigations. Additionally, Olatunji emphasized the positive impact of the commission’s operations in the country, noting that they have contributed N400 million in revenue to the government.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji disclosed that: “In the area of complaints and investigations, we have received over 1000 complaints and after thorough review, 50 have been verified and investigations are currently ongoing on 17 major cases covering several sectors such as Finance, Technology, Education, Consulting, Government, Logistics and Gaming\Lottery among others.
“Through remedial actions for completed cases, we have generated over 400 million Naira revenue for government.”
In June 2023, NDPC disclosed ongoing investigations into alleged data breaches involving Zenith, GTB, Fidelity, Leadway Insurance, Babcock University, and various other companies. Subsequently, by October 2023, the Commission broadened its investigative scope to encompass Opay, Meta, and DHL for suspected data breaches. These investigations serve as a testament to Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to data protection and privacy, underpinned by a robust legislative framework and strategic initiatives. The National Commissioner of NDPC also highlighted a noteworthy rise in the number of Data Protection Compliance Organizations, increasing from 103 to 163, resulting in a corresponding upswing in annual audit filings.
