Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million citizens, also boasts the continent’s largest economy, one increasingly propelled by a dynamic and rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.

Digital transformation has reshaped how Nigerians access financial services, engage in commerce, and interact with government institutions. Nowhere is this transformation more evident than in the financial technology (fintech) sector, where innovations such as mobile money, digital lending, and online banking have extended financial inclusion to previously underserved populations across both urban and rural areas.

Yet, this rapid digital growth has simultaneously magnified concerns around personal data protection and privacy. Vast amounts of user information are being collected and processed daily by fintech firms, e-commerce platforms, telecommunications operators, mobile app developers, and government agencies. In an economy increasingly powered by data, the safeguarding of personal information has become not just a regulatory imperative, but a matter of public trust and national security.