By Gabriel Ameh
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening data privacy enforcement and regulatory coordination within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Head, Public Affairs
February 5, 2026
According to the statement, the agreement establishes a formal framework for collaboration between both agencies as Nigeria’s digital ecosystem expands rapidly, bringing increased data generation and heightened privacy concerns.
Speaking at the signing, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, underscored the growing importance of data protection to the future of the communications industry. He noted that effective data regulation is essential to sustaining public trust, innovation, and sectoral growth, particularly as the country advances further into the digital and artificial intelligence (AI) era.
Dr. Maida highlighted the remarkable transformation of Nigeria’s telecom landscape—from about 500,000 connected telephone lines at inception to over 170 million active connections today emphasising that the Commission’s mandate goes beyond connectivity to enabling innovation, enterprise, and national development
According to him, the next phase of growth in the sector will be driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which depend heavily on data generated by users of digital platforms. He stressed that data originates from citizens and that individuals must be aware of their data rights to prevent exploitation.
“People need to be aware of the data they are generating and understand their rights around it. When platforms are described as free, they are not truly free. Someone is using your data,” he said.
“The future is data. If we fail to get the principles of data governance right, even our national sovereignty could be undermined.”
Dr. Maida described data as a critical element of national sovereignty, adding that Nigeria must continue to generate locally relevant data within a trusted regulatory environment for AI and other digital innovations to remain beneficial to the country.
In his remarks, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, described the MoU as vital to safeguarding Nigerians’ personal information. He noted that effective implementation of data protection mandates requires close collaboration with sector regulators.
“It is difficult to implement our mandate effectively in any sector without working with the regulator of that sector. We are not taking over the mandate of the telecom regulator; rather, we are complementing each other,” he said.
Dr. Olatunji stressed that the partnership would go beyond formalities, with immediate implementation plans to ensure meaningful impact on data privacy enforcement. He added that coordination and collaboration are central to the NDPC’s regulatory approach and expressed confidence that the partnership would strengthen data governance within the telecom sector.
Both agencies acknowledged their overlapping responsibilities in protecting citizens’ personal information and the need to streamline regulatory processes to prevent conflicts or duplication of mandates as outlined in their respective Acts.
The MoU, therefore, serves as a mechanism to promote clarity, regulatory synergy, and effective oversight of data protection within Nigeria’s communications industry.
