Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has officially inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the upcoming Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RADPA) Conference and Annual General Meeting. This significant event is scheduled to take place in Abuja in May 2025.
According to Itunu Dosekun, Head of the Media Unit at the NDPC, Nigeria is set to host the 10th edition of this prestigious conference, which will draw prominent delegates from across Africa and beyond. Attendees will include Heads of Data Protection Authorities, data protection experts, multinational corporations, development partners, and international investors.
Dosekun noted that the event aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda focused on economic growth and job creation.
During his speech, Dr. Olatunji expressed his gratitude to the LOC members for their dedication and collaborative efforts. He emphasized the importance of the conference as the largest event in Africa’s data protection and privacy sector.
“This conference represents not just the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) or the NDPC, but Nigeria as a whole. That is why we have included committee members from various sectors,” he stated.
The LOC comprises representatives from FMCIDE, NCC, NIPOST, NIGCOMSAT, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the World Bank’s ID4D Project Office, the Digital Transformation Center, the European Union, Meta, Google, AWS, Microsoft, Management Edge, ISACA, MasterCard, the Office of Data Protection Commissioner of Kenya, and various media organizations.
Olatunji urged the committee members to collaborate and share ideas to ensure the event’s success, emphasizing that the conference would showcase Nigeria as a safe and attractive investment destination. “We must highlight Nigeria’s positive image and prove that Nigeria is a good and hospitable country.”
He also noted that hosting the NADPA-RADPA conference reflects the NDPC’s rapid progress since its establishment and underscores Nigeria’s commitment to global data protection and digital innovation.
“Though we started later than some in the data protection and privacy ecosystem, we have already made significant strides, even at the global level,” he concluded.
Founded in September 2016 in Ouagadougou, the NADPA-RADPA Network comprises 23 Data Protection Authorities and several observer members from across Africa. Its mission is to facilitate cooperation and dialogue among its members while strengthening Africa’s influence in global data protection discussions.
