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NDPC Issues Guidance Notice on Registration of Data Controllers and Processors of Major Importance

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission has issued a Guidance Notice (NDPC/HQ/GN/VOL.02/24) to data controllers and processors of major importance in order to clarify the categories of organizations that are required to register with the Commission in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023. Relying on sections 5(d), 44 and 65 of the NDPA, organizations that are of “particular value or significance to the economy, society or security of Nigeria” are designated by the Commission as data controllers and processors of major importance.

NDPC

According to the Guidance Notice dated 14th of February and signed by the Commission’s Head of Legal Enforcement and Regulations, Babatunde Bamigboye, Esq., “A data controller or data processor shall be deemed to have particular value or significance to the economy, society or security of Nigeria and hence designated to be of major importance if it keeps or has access to a filing system (whether analogue or digital) for the processing of personal data”.

In addition to this, the Commission also identified specific data processing such as those involving sensitive personal data, cloud computing, transborder data transfers, processing the personal data of over 200 data subjects and access to data storage platform of third parties in commercial transactions as necessary factors in considering organizations that are data controllers or processors of major importance.

In order to foster ease of doing business, particularly for small organizations involved in potentially high-risk data processing, the Commission varies the payable fees according to the level of Major Data Processing (MDP) involved. Major Data Processing (MDP) is classified into 3 levels, namely: Ultra High Level (UHL), Extra High Level (EHL) and Ordinary High Level (OHL) of Major Data Processing. The fees payable are N250,000, N100,000 and N10,000 respectively.

Organizations in the MDP-UHL categories include but are not limited to the following are:

  1. Commercial banks operating at national or regional level,
  2. Merchant Banks
  • Telecommunication companies,
  1. Insurance companies,
  2. Multinational companies,
  3. Payment gateway service providers;

Similarly, the following organizations, among others are Organizations within MDP-EHL category:

  1. Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government,
  2. Micro finance Banks,
  • Higher Institutions,
  1. Hospitals providing tertiary or secondary medical services, and
  2. Mortgage banks;

Lastly, at the MDP-EHL category we have organizations such as:

  1. Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (it must be such that have access to personal data which they may share, transfer, analyze, copy, compute or store in the course of carrying out their individual businesses)
  2. Primary and Secondary Schools
  • Primary Health Centres
  1. Agents, contractors and vendors who engage with data-subjects on behalf of other organizations.

The breakdown of the categories are contained in the Guidance Notice posted on the Commissions website www.ndpc.gov.ng.

The NDPC’s National Commissioner and CEO, Dr Vincent Olatunji, urged data controllers to eschew activities that may put citizens at risk especially when millions of Nigerians are sharing their personal data such as bank details, pictures, health and academic records online. According to Dr. Olatunji,

“The risks are getting higher even as the opportunities are also increasing, we are reminded of the warning by those in the frontiers of the 4th Industrial Revolution that we have a price to pay for liberty.

“The price is eternal vigilance. It is therefore important to properly and functionally identify the persons and the data processing to which we must direct the torch of vigilance. Registration is one in a continuum of measures we are taking in this regard. It is, however, the entry point of accountability going forward.”

 

 


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

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9mobile, Nigerian operator, has reportedly gained approval for roaming on the MTN Nigeria network in a deal that some commentators suggest could improve its position in the market and, more specifically, tempt back lost subscribers.

9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

After finally gaining regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 9mobile plans to launch national roaming services on the MTN network from this month.

Under the agreement, 9mobile subscribers will gain access to MTN’s infrastructure for calls, texts and data in areas where 9mobile’s coverage is weak or unavailable.

For 9mobile, the deal offers a cost-effective way to expand coverage without the heavy investment required for nationwide infrastructure.

According to ITWeb Africa, the decision comes nearly five years after initial discussions – much longer than expected due, the Techloy news service said, to regulatory bottlenecks, shifting market conditions, and unclear execution timelines.

It may, however, prove pivotal for 9mobile, whose market share has dwindled to 1.72% in April 2025, down from 6.6% in 2020 when the proposal was first submitted. Indeed, in 2015 the company once known as Etisalat Nigeria had over 23 million subscribers and a 15.7% market share.

Of course, there’s also something in this for MTN. In exchange for network access, MTN gains utilisation rights to 9mobile’s underused spectrum in the 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands – key frequencies for expanding coverage and improving data capacity.

For MTN, which serves over 84 million subscribers, this additional spectrum could reduce congestion and improve service quality.

The company has also had financial difficulties in the Nigerian market due to the naira’s substantial depreciation; this deal could support better service provision at a reduced cost.

That said, MTN Nigeria’s results for the first quarter to March 31 2025 were apparently much improved, and the company recently announced a massive capital expenditure drive for 2025 of some NGN900 billion (US$568.5 million) as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.


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Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime  Today

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Banks and telecom companies will begin deducting USSD banking charges directly from customers’ airtime instead of their bank accounts beginning from today, June 3.

Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime  Today

USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to interact with a mobile network operator’s computers.

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced this change in an e-mail message to customers, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Key details:

Each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, charged by your mobile network.

You will be asked to approve the charge before it’s deducted from your airtime.

If you prefer, you can use other banking channels like ATMs, mobile apps, or internet banking.

This change is part of a move to end the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecoms over unpaid USSD fees.

As of late 2024, banks owed telecom companies ₦160 billion. For example, MTN was owed ₦42 billion by Nigerian banks.

By shifting USSD fees to customers’ airtime, the telcos aim to recover these debts and avoid future issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles

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L-r: Sylva Ifedigbo, Associate Director, Corporate Communications, IHS Nigeria, Dominic Ekesiobi, Electronic Systems Service Director, G4S Secure Solutions, Sadisu Jibrin, Director, Administration Operations, and Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations, both from IHS Nigeria with Jonas Ahl, Managing Director, G4S Secure Solutions, Bukky Bademosi, Head of Sales, G4S Secure Solutions, and Bukola Konkwo, Associate Director, Operations Excellence, IHS Nigeria, at the commissioning of 65 response
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IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited and one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has formally commissioned 65 Response, Patrol, and Escort (RPE) vehicles to G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, its long-standing security partner.

The commissioning ceremony which held in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to operational excellence, safety, and strategic partnerships.

The fully equipped vehicles, customized with radio systems, public address systems, medical kits, ladders, and amber lights, are expected to significantly enhance G4S’s patrol capabilities and enable proactive risk mitigation across IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure footprint in the country.

Speaking at the event, Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations at IHS Nigeria, remarked: “IHS Nigeria is delighted to formally hand over these Response, Patrol and Escort (RPE)  vehicles to our valued security partner, G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited. As a company, we recognize that the success of our operations lies not only in our technology and infrastructure but also in the strength of the partnerships we build and sustain.

G4S has been an essential partner in protecting our sites, supporting our teams, and ensuring operational continuity across the country. This initiative is more than just a commissioning of vehicles; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the safety of our people and assets, our drive for operational excellence, and our belief in strong partnerships.

We understand that securing our infrastructure and communities is critical to sustaining high-quality services nationwide, and we are confident this fleet will enhance G4S’s capacity to support us.”

Also speaking at the event, Jonas Ahl, Managing Director of G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, expressed his appreciation for the partnership:

“We are proud to receive these 65 custom-built patrol vehicles from IHS Nigeria. Each unit is fully outfitted to meet the specific security needs of our operations, equipped with communication systems, emergency response tools, and visibility-enhancing features. These vehicles will not only improve our response times and field presence but also enable us to reduce risk and deter criminal activity more effectively.

I would like to thank the IHS team for their excellent collaboration throughout this project. We are proud to serve IHS and remain committed to protecting the assets that power connectivity across Nigeria.”

This strategic gesture reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a socially responsible and security-conscious industry leader, while highlighting the value of operational synergy with trusted partners like G4S.

The deployment of these vehicles marks another milestone in IHS’s mission to secure its infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted service to millions of users across the country.

 


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