Nigeria is hosting data protection regulators from across Africa in Abuja as part of renewed efforts to strengthen cross-border data security and improve how countries protect personal information in the digital space.

The engagement, led by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), in partnership with the World Bank and Smart Africa, brings together regulators from nine countries, including The Gambia, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Liberia, Malawi, Zambia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

It also includes regional bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa and Intergovernmental Authority on Development, reflecting a broader push for coordinated data governance across Africa.

Speaking at the opening session, NDPC National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, said Nigeria’s experience shows the importance of moving from legislation to implementation in data protection.

He said Nigeria’s progress was anchored on the Data Protection Act signed in 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, which enabled the country to build a structured regulatory ecosystem.

“What we have in Nigeria today is an ecosystem that works. Other countries are interested in how we got here, and we are also learning from them,” he said.

Olatunji added that Nigeria has developed indigenous digital tools for registration, licensing, and compliance monitoring, stressing the importance of homegrown solutions in strengthening data sovereignty.

He explained that the focus of the exchange is cross-border data transfer, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework, where trust and legal safeguards are critical.

“We are looking at how personal data can move across countries safely, with proper safeguards and enforceable rights,” he said.

Providing a broader perspective, Senior Counsel at the World Bank, Elena Gasol, said Africa’s challenge is no longer the absence of data protection laws but the ability to enforce them effectively.

She said the programme is designed as a practical peer-learning platform rather than a theoretical training, allowing regulators to share real-world experiences.