In a major step toward securing the digital privacy of citizens, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially launched the Meta-Supported Initiatives for Data Protection (M-SIDP).
The two-year initiative is designed to strengthen regulatory guardrails, boost local compliance, and elevate public awareness of data privacy across the country.
The rollout of the M-SIDP stems from a regulatory process and subsequent investigations conducted by the NDPC into the data processing practices of Meta Platforms, Inc. (owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) within Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by Itunu Dosekun, Head of the NDPC Media Unit, the regulatory matter was amicably resolved in 2025 through a court-approved settlement. Thus, as a core condition of that agreement, Meta committed to funding and supporting a comprehensive, two-year series of public-facing data protection measures.
The newly launched M-SIDP is structured to align directly with Nigeria’s primary data governance frameworks: the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act), 2023, the NDP Act General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), and the NDPC Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2023–2027.
The initiative targets sustainable, ecosystem-wide improvements by focusing on four pillar areas:
- Advancing localized research to address emerging privacy challenges and technological advancements.
- Fostering technical mechanisms that guarantee long-term security and safety within Nigeria’s expanding tech ecosystem.
- Training and empowering Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) to elevate corporate compliance standards.
- Educating data subjects on their digital rights, with a specific, keen interest in shielding vulnerable demographics online.
The Commission emphasized that while this collaboration marks a proactive approach to resolving industry disputes, it does not diminish the government’s oversight capabilities.
“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,” the statement added.
Looking ahead, the NDPC has pledged to maintain transparency throughout the lifecycle of the initiative by providing periodic updates on the implementation of the M-SIDP programme.
By pulling resources from global big tech to fund localized capacity-building and civic education, the initiative is expected to dramatically lower data infringement rates, uplift local privacy experts, and create a more accountable, secure digital economy for tens of millions of Nigerian internet users.
The Commission has called on tech ecosystem stakeholders, civil society, and the public to actively support the initiative as it works to anchor robust privacy standards across the nation.