Imagine applying for a job and the company uses your submitted CV to sign you up for a loan you never requested. Or registering your SIM card only to find your BVN and passport photo listed for sale on a Telegram group. Scary? That was the reality before Nigeria passed the Data Protection Act (NDPA) in June 2023 — a much-needed law that finally gave Nigerians control over their digital footprints.
The NDPA established the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and made it clear that your personal data is your property, not free fuel for digital companies. Whether you’re signing up for JAMB, using an online food delivery app, or even applying for a loan on a fintech platform, the company must now tell you what they’ll do with your data and seek your clear, informed consent. The law also makes it mandatory for organisations to protect your data from hackers, insider leaks, or misuse. If they break these rules, they face hefty fines or closure.
We’ve already seen what could go wrong without this law. In 2022, several Nigerian loan apps shamed defaulters by sending mass texts to their contact lists, often falsely accusing people of being thieves or debtors. That’s a massive breach of privacy. With the NDPA in place, such practices are illegal. If your data is used to harass or exploit you, you now have the legal right to sue, demand deletion, or report to the NDPC. Hospitals, schools, churches, banks, and even tech startups now face serious scrutiny in how they handle and store your information.
What does this mean for us, the everyday Nigerian? It means we can now ask questions. Why do you need my BVN? What will you do with my email? Who else has access to my phone number? We have the right to know, to opt out, and to protect our digital self. This law isn’t just ink on paper; it’s a shield for our digital soul. In a world where data is the new oil, the NDPA is Nigeria’s way of making sure your barrel isn’t hijacked by pirates.
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