The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) says the growth of data protection compliance in Nigeria has contributed to the creation of more than 27,000 jobs, highlighting the expanding economic activities around privacy, compliance and personal data protection.

Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, disclosed this while outlining the Commission’s growth and achievements during the commissioning of its new headquarters by Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

Olatunji, whose remarks were themed “Upward Trajectory of NDPC,” said the Commission had grown significantly from its origins as a 12-member unit within the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) into a leading data protection authority.

Highlighting the data protection agency’s progress, Olatunji says it now has 356 licensed data protection-compliant organisations, while its activities have contributed to the creation of more than 27,000 jobs.

“356 licensed data protection-compliant organisations, over 27,000 jobs created, more than 66,000 Nigerians reached through the Virtual Privacy Academy, and 228 training programmes benefiting over 99,000 individuals.”

The figures indicate the growing scale of Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem as organisations face increasing requirements to protect and properly process personal information.

The Commission’s activities have also extended beyond regulatory compliance to education and capacity building. Olatunji says more than 66,000 Nigerians have been reached through the NDPC’s Virtual Privacy Academy, while 228 training programmes have benefited more than 99,000 individuals.

The expansion of data protection activities has created opportunities around compliance, privacy management, training and other professional services required by organisations handling personal information.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Tijani commended Olatunji’s leadership and the contribution of the Commission to Nigeria’s digital transformation.

The minister urged the NDPC to intensify its efforts to ensure that data protection and privacy become priorities for Nigerians, particularly as the country continues to expand its digital economy.

Tijani also acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the development of Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem.

According to the minister, the support includes the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, the directive for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with data protection regulations and the allocation of a property to the NDPC for use as its new headquarters.

The new headquarters represents another stage in the institutional development of the Commission, which has moved from being a small unit within NITDA to an independent data protection regulator.

Olatunji described the new facility as the largest Data Protection Authority office in Africa, adding a continental dimension to the Commission’s latest expansion.

The development comes as the volume of personal information being collected and processed by businesses, government institutions and digital platforms continues to grow.

Financial technology platforms, telecommunications companies, e-commerce businesses, government agencies and other digital service providers routinely process personal information as part of their operations. This has increased the importance of compliance with data protection rules and created demand for professionals with expertise in privacy and data governance.

The NDPC’s reported creation of more than 27,000 jobs therefore points to the emergence of data protection as an area with an expanding employment and professional-services ecosystem.

The 356 licensed compliant organisations also suggest that the Commission’s regulatory activities are increasingly translating into formal compliance structures within organisations.

Meanwhile, the Commission’s training figures show that its activities are not limited to organisations subject to regulatory requirements. More than 99,000 people have benefited from its 228 training programmes, while its Virtual Privacy Academy has reached over 66,000 Nigerians.

The combination of regulation, compliance, training and public awareness is contributing to the development of a broader data protection ecosystem in Nigeria.

The commissioning ceremony brought together stakeholders from the data protection and digital economy sectors to mark the Commission’s institutional growth.

For the NDPC, the new headquarters comes at a time when data protection is becoming increasingly important to Nigeria’s digital transformation, while the Commission’s reported employment and capacity-building figures point to the wider economic and professional opportunities emerging from the country’s evolving privacy framework.