Abuja, Jan. 30, 2026 (NAN) The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), in collaboration with over 50 public and private sector organisations, on Friday led a sensitisation roadshow in Abuja to raise awareness on data protection and privacy.
The roadshow was part of the activities marking the 2026 National Privacy Week.
The roadshow was organised to commemorate Global Privacy Day, celebrated annually on Jan. 28, which Nigeria observes through a week-long programme due to the low level of public awareness on data privacy and protection.
National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said the commission adopted an extended celebration to deepen public understanding of data protection rights and responsibilities.
Olatunji said the mandate of the NDPC was broad and could not be achieved by the commission alone, hence the need to partner with multiple stakeholders to drive nationwide awareness.
He explained that data subjects had the right to know why their personal data was being collected, how it would be processed, stored, shared and the duration of its retention.
“Anybody that wants to collect your data must tell you the purpose. You have a right to know what will be done with it and how long it will be kept,” he said.
Olatunji urged participants to take the message of data protection back to their various organisations and communities, stressing that privacy protection was now everybody’s business in the digital age.
He also said data controllers and processors, including organisations that collect and process personal data, must understand their obligations under the law to protect the rights of data subjects.
The NDPC boss encouraged participants to enrol in the commission’s virtual data protection training programmes, noting that vouchers were being offered for one-hour training sessions, with certificates issued at the end.
According to him, the certification can serve as a source of livelihood for participants interested in building careers in data protection and compliance.
Olatunji added that the roadshow also promoted healthy living, as participants combined awareness creation with physical exercise.
More than 50 organisations, including private sector players, civil society groups and government agencies, participated in the Abuja roadshow to reinforce the collective commitment to strengthening data protection and privacy awareness across the country. (NAN)
