by George Ozalla
The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening the enforcement of data privacy and protection within Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, as digitisation continues to deepen across the country.
The agreement, signed on February 5, 2026 at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, establishes a structured framework for cooperation between both regulators, with a focus on regulatory synergy, effective data governance and the protection of citizens’ personal information within the communications ecosystem.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said data protection and privacy regulation had become central to the future of the communications industry, particularly as Nigeria advances further into the digital and artificial intelligence era. He noted that effective regulation of data within the telecom sector was essential to sustaining public trust, encouraging innovation and supporting long-term growth.
Maida said the Commission remained committed to close collaboration with the NDPC to ensure that the privacy rights of Nigerians were adequately protected, while also maintaining a resilient and forward-looking communications network. He highlighted the rapid growth of the sector, recalling that Nigeria had evolved from about 500,000 connected telephone lines to over 170 million active connections, reflecting the NCC’s broader mandate of not only connecting Nigerians but also enabling business development, innovation and national progress.
According to him, the next phase of growth in the sector would be driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which rely heavily on data generated by users of digital platforms. He stressed that data was produced by individuals, belonged to them, and that citizens needed to be aware of the data they generated and the rights attached to it, warning that lack of awareness could lead to data being monetised without consent or benefit to its owners. He further described data governance as a matter of national sovereignty, noting that for artificial intelligence to remain relevant and beneficial to Nigeria, the country must continue to generate fresh, locally relevant data within a trusted and well-regulated environment.
In his remarks, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, described the MoU as critical to the protection of Nigerians’ data, noting that effective implementation of data protection mandates within any sector required the active involvement of that sector’s regulator. He explained that the NDPC was not seeking to take over the role of the telecom regulator, but rather to complement and add value to existing regulatory efforts through collaboration.
Olatunji said the NDPC was committed to ensuring that the agreement translated into immediate action rather than remaining a ceremonial document, stressing the importance of prompt implementation to safeguard the privacy and protection of citizens’ data. He added that coordination and collaboration formed the core of the NDPC’s regulatory approach, expressing confidence that the partnership with the NCC would strengthen data governance in the communications sector through shared expertise, knowledge exchange and capacity building.
Both commissions acknowledged that, as the telecom regulator and the national authority on data protection, they held overlapping responsibilities in ensuring the security of personal information. To prevent regulatory conflicts and overlaps in line with their respective enabling Acts, the NCC and NDPC agreed on the need to streamline regulatory processes and ensure clarity in the regulation of data within the communications sector.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials of both agencies, including the Executive Commissioners of the NCC and key directors from the NDPC, underscoring the significance of the partnership in advancing Nigeria’s data protection framework at a time of rapid digital expansion.
