We were invited by the Nigerian Senate to participate in the Public Hearing on a Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. At the hearing, we delivered a clear and firm presentation in support of the proposed amendments. This will meaningfully strengthen Nigeria’s data sovereignty.
This invitation did not emerge in isolation. It is the direct fallout of a policy advisory we issued in 2025. That paper, which examined the implications of Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) signing a Memorandum of Understanding to exchange tax data with France, went viral. It was widely reported across multiple media platforms and was subsequently quoted in letters addressed to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The conversation it sparked has now reached the floor of the Senate.
Speaking at the hearing, our Executive Director, Dr. Segun Adebayo, made the following position clear:
“As a data sovereignty advocate, we support the amendment as it strengthens Nigeria’s data sovereignty. Last month, I was at the Ghanaian Parliament and listened to Honourable Sam George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, speak on the deliberate efforts being made in Ghana to domicile every possible data within their borders. Nigeria cannot afford to fall behind.”
He further noted that the United States took a firm stance with TikTok, compelling the creation of TikTok USA in order to protect American data. While legitimate concerns exist that data localisation requirements could be misused, global technology companies already operate under internal compliance regimes that are continuously tested and refined against local manipulation.
Dr. Adebayo also referenced Apple’s well-known resistance to the FBI’s demand to unlock a phone during a domestic investigation in the United States — a case that underscored the tension between national security claims and the risks of setting dangerous precedents for government overreach.
The core of our argument remains straightforward: Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy, the country with the highest internet usage on the continent, and home to one of the most developed digital ecosystems and active social media markets in Africa. Nigerian users and creators generate enormous value for global platforms. Yet the continued absence of meaningful local presence and control by many of these platforms undermines three critical national interests:
- Consumer protection
- Data sovereignty
- Regulatory effectiveness
Nigeria must be treated as a strategic priority market and not merely as a source of users and data.
At CAfPRA, we maintain that data sovereignty is not a technical or bureaucratic issue. It is a question of national power and long-term strategic autonomy. As African countries increasingly recognise the need to keep critical data within their borders, Nigeria, by virtue of its size, digital vibrancy, and economic weight, has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead.
We thank the Senate for the invitation and for creating space for rigorous policy engagement. We remain committed to advancing research, advocacy, and practical recommendations that place Nigeria’s digital interests first.