Telcom lines hit nearly 200m — NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on data privacy and protection in the country noting that Nigeria now has nearly 200 million telecommunication lines. Speaking at the signing ceremony which was held at the NCC’s headquarters in Abuja on […]

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on data privacy and protection in the country noting that Nigeria now has nearly 200 million telecommunication lines.

Speaking at the signing ceremony which was held at the NCC’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, national commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji said the partnership was necessary to combine the expertise and capacities of both agencies to effectively protect Nigerians’ data.

Olatunji said neither institution could fully achieve its mandate in isolation, stressing that cooperation was critical as data became central to governance, economic growth and national development.

“We don’t want this MoU just signed and kept on the shelf. We want it signed and immediately operationalised,” Olatunji said.

In his remarks, Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the NCC, assured the NDPC of the commission’s full cooperation, regardless of sectoral boundaries.

Maida said the “NCC had successfully led Nigeria through an era of connectivity, growing telecom lines from about 500,000 to nearly 200 million, but now the country is entering a new digital phase.”

According to the EVC, regulators now have a responsibility not just to connect Nigerians, but to enable citizens and businesses to benefit from emerging technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence.

He described data as central to this new era, noting that artificial intelligence (AI) systems depend on data generated by individuals using digital platforms.

“Data is very important to this next era, and the people who generate this data is me and you, and as disruptive as people think AI is, AI cannot exist without me and you using digital platforms, so our role as a regulator is to enable people to use these digital platforms,” Maida said.

“If people do not know their rights around data, somebody else will monetise it. And this is why data protection is very, very important towards the future and sovereignty of this nation.”