Digital Economy Growth Depends on Trust, Data Privacy – Minister

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said Nigeria’s drive to build a one trillion dollar economy will only succeed if digital growth is anchored on trust, strong data protection and shared prosperity.

Tijani made the statement on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference to mark Global Privacy Day 2026, organised by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The event, themed “Privacy in the Era of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics and Innovation,” focused on the growing importance of data privacy as digital technologies continue to expand across sectors.

Speaking at the event, the minister said President Bola Tinubu had been clear about the central role of the digital sector in achieving Nigeria’s economic ambitions. However, he stressed that connectivity without protection was incomplete.

According to him, data protection and privacy are the foundation of trust, safety and long-term sustainability in the digital economy.

“When we lose trust in this sector, people will be discouraged from relying on the tools we hope can drive economic growth,” Tijani said.

He added that citizens must trust that their personal data is respected, protected and used appropriately, noting that the NDPC plays a central role in building and maintaining that trust.

Tijani also recalled that President Tinubu demonstrated commitment to data protection early in his administration by signing the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) into law, describing it as a clear signal that citizens’ rights and dignity must be protected as digital transformation accelerates.

In his remarks, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said Global Privacy Day was designated to create awareness about data protection and responsible data handling in the digital era.

Highlighting the commission’s achievements, Olatunji said the NDPC had generated over ₦5.2 billion in compliance revenue, while Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem is now valued at more than ₦16.2 billion.

He said compliance monitoring had expanded across public and private sectors, with 38,677 registered data controllers and processors, 307 licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations, and over 8,155 compliance audit returns filed.

According to him, the commission concluded 246 data breach investigations, resulting in 11 enforcement actions, including fines and remediation directives.

Olatunji added that the ecosystem has created about 23,000 jobs and gained international recognition.

Looking ahead to 2026, he said the commission would intensify awareness campaigns, strengthen enforcement of the NDPA and expand capacity-building efforts through professional certification programmes.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa, said Nigeria’s data protection framework had gained global recognition through policy reforms and the work of the NDPC.

Represented by Dr Aristotle Onomu, Inuwa said innovation and privacy were not competing values but complementary pillars for building a sustainable digital future.