The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has imposed a fine of N766.2 million on MultiChoice Nigeria, the country’s leading Pay-TV services provider, for breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) .
The commission, in a statement signed by its Head of Legal Department, Barr, Babatunde Bamigboye, maintained the sanction was part of the efforts by the NDPC’s management to enforce data privacy regulations in Nigeria.
According to him, the commission’s decision was sequel to an investigation in which it uncovered multiple violations of the NDPA by MultiChoice, particularly concerning the unlawful handling of subscribers’ personal data.
Bamigboye stated that the company was found to have infringed on the privacy rights of subscribers and their contacts, compromising sensitive information without proper consent or safeguards, adding that the investigation exposes lapses in MultiChoice’s data protection practices, which failed to align with the stringent requirements of the NDPA, which was enacted in 2023 to protect citizens’ personal data.
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The N766.2 million fine slammed on the Pay TV services provider underscores the NPDC’s commitment to holding organisations accountable for safeguarding consumer data as threats to data privacy in the country is raising serious concerns nationwide.
The NDPC has ordered MultiChoice to comply with corrective measures within 14 days, including implementing robust data protection protocols to prevent future breaches.
Commenting on the fine imposed on the company, the NDPC National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, maintained that the fine served as a deterrent to other companies, reinforcing the importance of compliance with data privacy laws in an era of increasing digital transactions.
As at the time of filing this news story, MultiChoice Nigeria has not issued any public statement on the fine imposed on it by the data protection regulatory commission.
However, the NPDC’s sanction on the company, the operator of DStv and GOtv services in the country, has been lauded by some consumer rights advocacy and privacy groups, which believe that the fine will help to strengthen Nigeria’s data protection framework enforcement.
