By Martin Ekpeke
The 2025 Data Privacy Conference hosted by KPMG Nigeria in Lagos last week provided a strategic platform to deepen understanding of emerging regulatory expectations, exchange perspectives, and explore practical approaches for building resilient privacy frameworks.
The conference, which brought together critical stakeholders such as the regulators, industry experts, and organisational leaders, was committed to strengthening data governance across Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.
Giving the opening remark, John Anyanwu, Partner and Head, Cyber & Privacy, KPMG West Africa, emphasised the rising complexities of data protection, the criticality of organisational accountability, and the need for proactive readiness as data privacy becomes a strategic imperative for competitiveness and trust.
The keynote address, which was delivered by Dr. Tolulope Pius-Fadipe, Head of Research and Development, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) on the “Implementing the GAID: Practical Strategies for Building Sustainable Trust and Organisational Compliance,” outlined actionable measures organisations must adopt to align with the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID).
“There is a need to stress the importance of transparency and highlight practical compliance pathways for organisations navigating Nigeria’s maturing data protection landscape,” she said.
The agenda progressed with a hands-on Data Breach Simulation Exercise led by Olaoluwa Agbaje, Associate Director, Cyber & Privacy, KPMG West Africa. The highly interactive session exposed participants to real-world breach scenarios and guided them through immediate response steps, escalation protocols, stakeholder communication considerations, and recovery strategies critical for minimising business and reputational impact.
This was followed by a global perspective session delivered by Caitlin Fennessey, Vice President and Chief Knowledge Officer, International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Her presentation, “Global Perspectives on Data Protection: Strategies for Competitive Advantage under Evolving Regulatory Requirements,” explored how international privacy trends, cross-border data considerations, and emerging standards are shaping organisational approaches to compliance and competitive positioning.
A panel session, “The Evolving Privacy Regulatory Landscape: The Demands, The Challenges and the Way Forward” brought together leading voices across regulatory bodies, financial services, and industry practice. The panel featured Dr. Tolulope Fadipe; Head, Research and Development, NDPC; Dr. Ibiso Kingsley-George; Head, Internet Governance, NCC; Olatorera Oladeji; Data Privacy Analyst, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Vivienne Nwankwu; Group Chief Compliance Officer, Sterling Financial Holdings Company PLC; and Olaoluwa Agbaje; Associate Director, Cyber & Privacy, KPMG West Africa.
The discussion examined current regulatory demands, emerging compliance challenges, and collaborative pathways for strengthening Nigeria’s privacy ecosystem. Panellists highlighted the importance of operationalising privacy beyond documentation, investing in continuous capacity building, and leveraging technology to strengthen monitoring, reporting, and risk mitigation.
The programme continued with a live demonstration of the Privada Application and LMS, giving participants firsthand insight into tools designed to enhance privacy governance and support continuous organisational learning. Attendees also participated in a series of interactive Data Privacy Games.