In an interview published Oct. 26 by BusinessDay, Nigeria’s data protection chief said 2026 audit filings and registrations were below 5% of the expected level and the regulator plans oversight of artificial intelligence (AI).
Vincent O. Olatunji, National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), cited 41,000 audit filings and registrations in 2026, compared with 630 in the commission’s first year. He did not identify the dates used for that first-year comparison.
Olatunji said the 2026 figure represented less than 5% of expected compliance. The interview did not separate the filings from registrations or explain how the expected-compliance figure was calculated.
Olatunji said the commission intends to regulate AI and other emerging technologies to protect data subjects’ rights. He gave no date for the proposed measures and did not identify a draft rule. “Whatever data you use in training AI must be handled responsibly and in accordance with the law,” he said.
Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023, which the federal government signed into law on June 12, 2023, established the NDPC to oversee its implementation. The Act’s objectives include safeguarding privacy and requiring personal data to be processed fairly, lawfully and accountably. It gives data subjects the right to access and correct their information, object to processing and seek protection from certain decisions made solely through automated processing.
Data controllers and processors designated as being of major importance must register with the commission under the Act. That requirement is part of a wider framework governing how organizations handle personal information.
Olatunji said the commission uses awareness campaigns and capacity building to address compliance shortfalls. He also argued that businesses stand to benefit when customers trust their data practices, linking privacy safeguards to confidence in digital services.
