NDPC STRENGTHENS REGIONAL TIES, SHOWCASES NIGERIA’S LEADERSHIP AT GSMA MINISTERIAL PROGRAMME AND .

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has reinforced its regional and global engagement in data governance following its active participation in the GSMA Ministerial Programme and Mobile Policy Week, held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Commission was represented by Mr. Abubakar Mahmud of the IT and Cybersecurity Unit and Mr. Salim Ibrahim of the Innovation and Emerging Technologies Unit.

Nigeria Gains Fresh Insights in Mobile Privacy, Security and AI Governance

During the GSMA’s high-level capacity-building sessions, the NDPC delegates received extensive training on Mobile Privacy, Data Security, and Artificial Intelligence Governance. The sessions exposed the team to global best practices, including:

Privacy-by-design principles
Mobile network data protection frameworks
Responsible AI governance models

According to the Commission, these insights will strengthen Nigeria’s regulatory capacity and support compliance in fast-evolving digital environments, especially as the country experiences rapid growth in mobile technology and AI-driven innovations.

One of the key highlights of the engagement was a strategic meeting between the NDPC delegation and officials of the Data Protection Office Rwanda (DPOR). Discussions focused on opportunities for regional cooperation, harmonisation of data protection standards, and cross-border knowledge exchange.

The proposed collaboration aims to foster innovation, improve regulatory alignment, and build digital trust across Africa, in line with the continent’s broader digital transformation agenda.

In addition to the Ministerial Programme, the NDPC also represented Nigeria at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Africa, where it contributed to high-level discussions shaping Africa’s digital future.

NDPC delegates played an active role in policy dialogues around:
5G deployment and AI integration
Internet infrastructure expansion
Regulatory modernization and digital inclusion

Their interventions underscored Nigeria’s growing leadership in data governance and its commitment to creating safe, trusted and innovation-friendly digital ecosystems.

The engagements in Kigali further solidified the NDPC’s proactive stance in influencing Africa’s data protection, digital trust, and privacy standards. The Commission reiterated its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy through strong regulatory oversight and international cooperation.