Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), recently hosted Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS), along with his team at the NDPC headquarters.
The discussion centred on EMTS’s compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act), and explored strategic initiatives to bolster data protection, cybersecurity, and digital trust within Nigeria’s telecom sector.
During the visit, Banigbe praised Olatunji’s leadership and the NDPC’s strong regulatory framework, which has significantly advanced data privacy standards nationally. He provided updates on EMTS’s efforts, including a project to localise data by developing local cloud infrastructure aligned with the NDPC’s data sovereignty objectives. Banigbe emphasised the company’s deployment of cybersecurity tools and its commitment to integrating data protection into all aspects of its operations, reaffirming EMTS’s readiness to be a strategic partner in fulfilling the commission’s mandate.
In response, Olatunji commended EMTS’s proactive approach to compliance and collaboration, highlighting that safeguarding citizens’ data is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders — particularly telecom operators — to maintain public confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy. He underscored the importance of ongoing staff training and capacity building, citing human error as a common vulnerability in data security.
Furthermore, Olatunji linked the NDPC’s mission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasising trust, accountability, and digital inclusion as key pillars for Nigeria’s digital transformation. The meeting concluded with both parties expressing a commitment to deepen their cooperation and joint efforts in enhancing data protection and cybersecurity across the country.
