Kenya’s Data Protection Commissioner calls for stronger African cooperation at NADPA Conference in Abidjan

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, led by Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait, participated in the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Annual General Meeting and Conference held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where African regulators discussed emerging challenges in data governance and digital regulation.

The conference brought together data protection authorities and stakeholders from across the continent to deliberate on issues including artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, cross-border data flows, regional harmonization, and cybersecurity.

During the meeting, Kassait, who served as outgoing First Vice Chair of NADPA, called for stronger collaboration among African data protection authorities and greater participation in Convention 108 to strengthen continental data governance frameworks.

She also urged regulators to deepen engagement with regional blocs and enhance cooperation on enforcement, cybersecurity, consumer protection, and competition law to support the development of more resilient data protection ecosystems across Africa.

Kassait emphasized the importance of capacity-building initiatives and knowledge-sharing among regulators, noting that stronger regional cooperation is critical in addressing increasingly complex digital and data protection challenges.

“It is important that we identify areas of convergence and work together to strengthen enforcement and regional cooperation,” she said during the conference.

The Data Commissioner also commended the role of the NADPA Secretariat and encouraged continued institutional support for the network as African countries accelerate digital transformation and expand digital economies.

During the Annual General Meeting, members elected a new NADPA board to serve for the next three years, with Cape Verde elected as Chair, Côte d’Ivoire as First Vice Chair, and Zimbabwe as Second Vice Chair.

The meeting also admitted Malawi, Guinea, Togo, and Madagascar as new members of the network, while Zimbabwe was selected to host the next NADPA Annual General Meeting.

Kenya concluded its tenure as First Vice Chair after three years, a period during which the network developed its strategic plan aimed at strengthening cooperation and institutional development among African data protection authorities.