Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has urged state governments to strengthen the implementation of Nigeria’s data protection framework, saying effective enforcement of the law depends on action at the subnational level.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, NDPC, made the call in Abuja at an implementation workshop organised by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in partnership with the Commission.
He said state governments handle large volumes of citizens’ personal information through services including healthcare, education, taxation, employment and social protection, making their involvement critical to effective data protection.
“There is no law that you want to implement or enforce in Nigeria that can succeed if you don’t go to the sub-nationals.”
Dr Olatunji also advised states against enacting separate data protection laws, saying this could complicate the national regulatory framework.
He urged state officials to adopt the national framework and return home with concrete plans for implementing data protection requirements.
He says citizens entrust government with sensitive information, creating a corresponding responsibility to protect it.
Alhaji Murtala Sule-Garo, deputy governor of Kano State, said the state was committed to strengthening its institutional structures, policies and practices for protecting personal data held by government.
He said data protection should be treated as a responsibility to citizens, rather than simply a regulatory requirement.
“The implementation of the Nigerian Data Protection Act is therefore not merely a matter of regulatory compliance. It is an important component of responsibility for us as citizens and our government.”
He called for practical measures including staff training, stronger access controls, proper data retention and effective breach management.
The Commission had earlier said the August workshop would provide states with implementation frameworks and practical guidance for adopting data protection requirements.
Representing Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, permanent secretary, said trust must remain central to Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“Infrastructure alone is not enough. Fibre optic networks, data centres and digital portals are merely the physical conduit. Trust is the bedrock currency that powers it all.”
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum said data protection was fundamental to good governance, as state institutions increasingly rely on digital systems to deliver public services.
It pledged continued collaboration with the NDPC and state governments to strengthen compliance, protect citizens’ privacy and sustain public trust in digital government services.
The workshop is part of the NDPC and Nigerian Governors’ Forum’s effort to translate national data protection requirements into practical measures across state institutions.
