NDPC and Meta launch major data protection program to strengthen privacy in Nigeria

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially launched a major two-year privacy initiative in collaboration with tech giant Meta Platforms, Inc. The program, named the Meta-Supported Initiatives for Data Protection (M-SIDP), aims to drastically strengthen data privacy guardrails, expand public awareness, and boost regulatory compliance across the country’s rapidly growing digital economy. 

The announcement, made on Monday, June 8, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria's tech ecosystem. It follows a highly anticipated resolution to regulatory investigations conducted by the NDPC regarding Meta’s data processing operations within Nigeria. 

Rooted in Regulatory Settlement

According to an official statement signed by Itunu Dosekun, the Head of the NDPC Media Unit, the M-SIDP is the direct result of a court-approved settlement finalized in 2025. Following extensive inquiries into how Meta the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp handles the personal data of millions of Nigerian users, both parties agreed to a structured framework to give back to the country’s privacy ecosystem. 

As part of the legally binding settlement, Meta committed to funding and supporting a comprehensive, public-facing data protection agenda spanning two years. NDPC officials emphasized that the program is meticulously mapped out to align with the core mandates of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023, the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), and the Commission’s own Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2023–2027. 

Four Strategic Pillars of the M-SIDP

The newly launched program will operate under a structured model to ensure deep, systemic improvements in the way local data is handled. The NDPC has broken down the framework into four priority areas: 

Governance, Research, and Development: Laying a scholarly and policy-driven foundation to study data trends, identify potential system vulnerabilities, and design forward-looking regulations. 

Ecosystem Safety and Sustainability: Introducing newer, safer operational mechanisms for technology firms across Nigeria to ensure sustainable data handling that protects consumer safety. 

Professional Capacity Building: Providing specialized training, resources, and technical scaling for local Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs). 

Targeted Public Awareness: Executing extensive advocacy campaigns focused heavily on educating average citizens about their privacy rights, with a keen, intentional focus on safeguarding vulnerable demographics. 

Regulating Without Compromise

While the partnership relies heavily on collaborative execution and support from Meta, the Nigerian government has made it explicitly clear that the agreement does not mean corporate oversight will be compromised.

In her press briefing on Monday, Dosekun stated unequivocally that the operational framework leaves the regulatory agency's teeth intact. 

"Nothing in this settlement limits the commission's independent statutory powers as we continue to exercise our regulatory mandate in relation to data processing activities in Nigeria, in accordance with the NDP Act and other applicable laws." 

Moving forward, the NDPC promises to provide periodic, transparent updates on the implementation milestones of the M-SIDP. The Commission has called on all tech ecosystem stakeholders, civil society groups, and private organizations to actively embrace the initiative to establish a secure, universally accountable, and world-class digital privacy ecosystem across Nigeria.