DataPro Reviews Nigeria’s Shift to Enforcement-driven Data Protection

DataPro Limited, Nigeria’s leading Data Protection Compliance Organisation (DPCO), has commenced its 2026 Privacy Week with the release of Privacy Pulse, a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s data protection landscape and a forward-looking agenda for organisations operating under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

The week-long observance, themed, “Privacy in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics, and Innovation,” according to  its Head of Emerging Services, Ademikun Adeseyeju, is against the backdrop of a decisive transformation of Nigeria’s privacy ecosystem in 2025, from awareness-led compliance to a strict, enforcement-driven regime.

According to the firm, 2025 marked the full transition from the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) to the statutory authority of the NDPA and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025. This shift, it said, fundamentally altered the compliance expectations for public and private institutions, introducing mandatory obligations backed by regulatory sanctions and judicial scrutiny.

In its year-in-review assessment, DataPro noted that the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) adopted a more assertive enforcement posture during the year, publicly naming non-compliant organisations, particularly within the financial services sector. The move signalled a clear departure from advisory regulation to active oversight.

Looking ahead to 2026, DataPro projected a shift towards stronger board and executive ownership of privacy risks. The firm anticipates that data protection will become a standing governance issue, requiring regular reporting, dedicated budgets, and strategic oversight at the highest levels. It also warned of a likely rise in individual claims and constitutional privacy litigation, urging organisations to remain “litigation-ready” through robust record-keeping and strengthened compliance frameworks.

Speaking on the initiative, DataPro said the programme is designed to help organisations understand the evolving regulatory environment and prepare for heightened compliance expectations. The company, which is licensed as a DPCO, said it is positioned to support organisations with practical implementation and sustained compliance strategies, drawing on over three decades of regulatory and compliance experience.