Nigeria hosts nine countries for cross-regional data protection peer exchange

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) is hosting a cross-regional data protection peer exchange visit involving nine countries, in collaboration with the World Bank and Smart Africa, as part of efforts to strengthen privacy governance across the continent.

The programme, led by NDPC National Commissioner and CEO Vincent Olatunji, brings together data protection authorities and regional institutions to share experiences and harmonise approaches to data governance and privacy regulation.

Participating countries include Burundi, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Zambia. The engagement also includes representatives from regional bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

In his remarks, Olatunji commended the World Bank and Smart Africa for supporting data protection and privacy initiatives across Africa. He noted that the peer exchange comes at a critical time as countries seek to strengthen institutional capacity and improve enforcement of data protection frameworks.

He also emphasised the importance of harmonising data protection laws across African jurisdictions, drawing comparisons with regulatory developments in Europe. According to him, greater alignment would help ensure that data controllers and processors comply with obligations while also improving public awareness of data subjects’ rights.

Olatunji urged participating countries to strengthen collaboration between regulators, government institutions, and the private sector to ensure that data protection policies are both practical and effectively implemented.