By John Danjuma
In a powerful demonstration of progress in digital rights advocacy, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (PIN), ‘Gbenga Sesan, has revealed that Nigerian citizens are beginning to win significant legal victories in data protection cases, with damages awarded as high as ₦8 million.
Across Africa, the winds of digital justice are blowing with renewed force. From courtroom victories in Nigeria to regulatory breakthroughs in Senegal, a new era is emerging—one where citizens are no longer helpless when their personal data is misused or exploited.
Speaking at a stakeholder event, Sesan highlighted two notable cases. The first involved a food delivery customer whose personal data was misused, resulting in a ₦3 million compensation. The second centred on a bank customer who was issued a domiciliary account without consent, leading to an ₦8 million award in damages.
“This is what we want to see—citizens getting justice when their data is misused,” Sesan stated. These cases, he noted, underscore the growing enforcement of Nigeria’s Data Protection Act, signed into law on June 2, 2023, and the rising relevance of purpose limitation, a core principle of data protection that mandates data be used only for the purpose for which it was collected.
Sesan traced the evolution of PIN’s advocacy from its early efforts in 2008 to its current strategic partnerships across Africa. With offices in six African countries—Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—PIN have built a continent-wide network of digital rights defenders. Through community training and policy engagement, the organization continues to empower citizens and strengthen legal frameworks that uphold digital rights.
“These victories are not just legal milestones,” he emphasized. “They are the result of persistent grassroots advocacy, strategic policy engagement, and the growing belief that digital rights are as sacred as civil rights.”
One of the most recent milestones in this journey is a Memorandum of Understanding between PIN and Senegal’s Commission de Protection des Données Personnelles (CDP). This partnership, shaped by months of technical exchanges and mutual understanding, aims to expand data protection capacity in West Africa.
CDP President Ousmane Thiongawe provided a candid perspective: “It’s easy to fine global tech firms—but when governments violate privacy, impunity often follows.” He cited a disturbing case in Nigeria, where national identity data was allegedly sold for as little as ₦100. “We had to buy the data of high-ranking officials to wake people up,” he revealed.
The revelations underscore the urgency of robust safeguards. As Africa’s digital economy expands, so does the potential for exploitation—unless citizens are protected. Thiongawe praised the PIN-CDP alliance as a proactive step toward ensuring digital literacy, regulatory oversight, and empowerment.
Looking ahead, Thiongawe pointed to Nigeria’s upcoming inter-bank data transfer framework as another critical area. CDP has expressed readiness to support Nigeria’s Central Bank and civil society partners to ensure strong privacy protections are embedded in the system from the outset. “We can’t talk about the digital economy without protecting the people who power it,” he warned.
The momentum is unmistakable. With the NADPA Conference uniting African data regulators under the theme “Championing Privacy Rights”, a continental consensus is forming: privacy is not a luxury—it is a right. And that right must be defended through law, policy, and collective action.
From Lagos to Dakar, from courtrooms to conference halls, Africa’s data protection revolution is no longer a vision—it is a reality unfolding case by case, partnership by partnership
