Amid growing concerns over foreign control of Nigeria’s digital space, experts and civil society leaders have called for urgent legislative reforms to secure the country’s sensitive data.
At a press briefing in Abuja, policy analysts and digital rights advocates backed Senator Ned Nwoko’s proposed amendments to the 2023 Data Protection Act, warning that Nigeria’s weak data laws leave tax records, GPS location data, and financial information vulnerable to exploitation.
“If foreign entities control our tax and identity records, we are surrendering national security to outside forces,” said Dr. Segun Adebayo, Executive Director of the Centre for African Policy Research (CAFPR).
Unlike in other countries, Nigeria’s laws do not recognize GPS location data and financial records as sensitive, exposing citizens to privacy risks. The bill seeks to change this.
Also the bill is demanding that Platforms like Facebook and Instagram be required to set up offices in Nigeria to ensure compliance with local regulations and the bill also proposes stronger registration requirements for bloggers to curb misinformation, though critics argue this could burden small content creators.
Security experts warn that without stronger laws, Nigeria will struggle to regulate how global tech firms handle local data, potentially putting national interests at risk.
“This is about Nigeria’s digital independence,” said Israel James, Country Director of Project SPRINT. “We must control our own data, just as we control our oil and natural resources.”
As the debate intensifies, advocates urge swift government action to prevent Nigeria from becoming digitally dependent on foreign powers. The next steps will determine whether the nation can reclaim control over its digital future.