E-commerce compliance: Nigeria moves closer to a data privacy framework 🇳🇬🔐

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Nigeria’s data protection authority, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), is stepping up its efforts to protect personal data in e-commerce. In Abuja, the agency partnered with Germany’s development agency, GIZ, to host a validation workshop on a Data Privacy Framework for e-Commerce, aimed at helping online businesses comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

Data protection at the heart of the digital economy 🔐

At the event, NDPC National Commissioner and CEO Dr Vincent Olatunji delivered the keynote address before formally opening the proceedings. In his remarks, he underlined how central data protection and privacy are to the growth of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. He also stressed the need to involve stakeholders broadly in the Commission’s work, arguing that this kind of consultation is essential for the agency to carry out its mission effectively.

Following that logic, the Abuja workshop builds on an earlier validation meeting held in Lagos around the same framework, which brought together private-sector representatives. This time, the Abuja gathering widened the consultation to include public-sector input as well — the goal being to factor in a broader range of perspectives as the e-commerce framework takes shape.

Trust is the real currency of online commerce 🤝

The NDPC chief also pointed to the growing role e-commerce plays in Nigeria’s digital economy. In his view, businesses can only truly grow in this environment if customers — as the people whose data is being processed — can trust that their personal information is properly protected.

Through several practical examples, Dr Olatunji illustrated why trust matters so much in digital transactions: data security, he argued, is what reassures users and encourages them to take part in the digital marketplace in the first place.

At the same time, he reportedly warned of the consequences facing companies that fail to comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, pointing specifically to the risks tied to unlawful data collection and processing — including practices involving profiling.

Public and private players show up 🇳🇬

The workshop also drew several institutional representatives and digital economy stakeholders. Among them was Dr Karin Jansen, head of development cooperation at the German Embassy, standing in for Germany’s ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Annett Günther. Representatives from various government ministries, departments and agencies, along with other digital economy stakeholders, also took part in the discussions.

Through this initiative, the NDPC intends to keep the consultation process going on data protection in e-commerce, with the aim of strengthening compliance with Nigeria’s data protection legal framework.

So, is tighter data protection really enough to build trust in online shopping — or does it take more than regulation? Let us know in the comments.