The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has announced the launch of a two-year data protection initiative supported by Meta Platforms.
The initiative follows the resolution of regulatory proceedings over the company’s data processing practices in Nigeria, according to the commission in a statement on Monday, June 8.
The NDPC said the scheme, known as the Meta-Supported Initiatives for Data Protection (M-SIDP), emerged from a court-approved settlement reached in 2025 after investigations into Meta’s handling of personal data in Nigeria.
The commission said the programme is designed to strengthen safeguards for data subjects and advance the country’s data protection framework in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
“The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched the Meta-Supported Initiatives for Data Protection (M-SIDP), a strategic programme aimed at strengthening strategic guardrails for data subjects,” the NDPC stated.
It explained that, under the settlement, Meta committed to supporting a two-year programme of public-facing data protection measures aligned with the objectives of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), and the NDPC Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2023–2027.
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The programme will focus on strengthening governance, research and development, improving safety and sustainability mechanisms within the technology ecosystem, building capacity for Data Protection Officers and Data Protection Compliance Organisations, and increasing public awareness of data protection issues, particularly among vulnerable groups.
The commission stressed that the settlement does not affect its authority to regulate data processing activities in Nigeria.
“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 NDPC said.
The development marks one of the most significant outcomes of the commission’s regulatory engagement with a global technology company and reflects Nigeria’s growing emphasis on data privacy and accountability in the digital economy.
The NDPC said it would provide periodic updates on the implementation of the programme and called on stakeholders to support efforts aimed at building a secure and accountable privacy ecosystem in the country.
“The Commission will consistently provide periodic updates on the implementation of the M-SIDP programme and calls on all stakeholders to support the initiative in advancing a secure and accountable privacy ecosystem in Nigeria,” the NDPC added.
Alex is a business journalist cum data enthusiast with the Pinnacle Daily. He can be reached via ealex@thepinnacleng.com, @ehime_alex on X