Abuja, Nigeria
Dr Vincent Olatunji, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), says Nigeria and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, are resolving the lingering data breach dispute through collaboration and dialogue.
The NDPC boss stated this at a one-day intensive workshop for data protection officers (DPOs) in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said, “Our new approach is partnership. We are working with them to see if we can resolve the issue. We don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. What we do today is to look at the issues — what do we need to resolve, and are they willing to do what is right? We have to look at political ways of solving it.”
In 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta for multiple data privacy violations.
The agency said the penalty followed an investigation by FCCPC and NDPC into the company’s platforms, conduct, privacy policies, operations and practices between May 2021 and December 2023.
In reaction, the tech giant said it would appeal against the fine imposed on it.
On April 25, DailyAgent reports that the competition and consumer protection tribunal upheld the $220 million fine the FCCPC imposed on Meta.
Again, the Meta said it would shut down its operations in Nigeria instead of complying to the ruling of the tribunal.
However, Olatunji said plans are in place to resolve it and calm public anxiety.
“Even when you go to work, you see that there’s a right way to resolve issues. So, I’m sure we’re going to resolve it,” he said.
The NDPC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mastercard to consolidate data protection capacity in Nigeria during the workshop.
He added that the federal government is dedicated to increasing the number of certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs) equipped with the necessary skills to manage data protection effectively.
He noted that the workshop would benefit both Nigeria and Mastercard, emphasising that the country has a tech-savvy, digitally native youth population eager to explore opportunities.
