Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has officially launched the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RADPA) Conference and Annual General Meeting, scheduled for May 2025 in Abuja.
A statement by Itunu Dosekun, Head of the Media Unit at NDPC on Thursday, said Nigeria will host the 10th edition of this distinguished event, expected to draw prominent delegates from across Africa and beyond. Participants will include Heads of Data Protection Authorities, data protection specialists, multinational companies, development partners, and international investors.
Dosekun mentioned that the event supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eighth-point agenda, which emphasizes economic growth and job creation.
In his address, Dr. Olatunji thanked the LOC members for their commitment and teamwork, underscoring the conference’s significance as Africa’s largest gathering in the 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 includes 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 organisations.
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, attractive investment destination. “We must highlight Nigeria’s positive image and prove that Nigeria is a good and hospitable country.”
He noted that hosting the NADPA-RADPA conference reflects the NDPC’s rapid progress since its establishment and 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.
