Telecom
ATCON Calls for Adoption of NDPR for Security
Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has tasked its members on the need for the adoption of Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
This is as part of efforts to safeguard the interest and businesses of members.
Olusola Teniola, president , ATCON, while calling for its implementation, stressed that data protection and privacy is crucial for companies as well as consumers against the growing activities of cyber criminals in this digital age.
Teniola made this call at a virtual meeting on “Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019: Benefits and Compliance Process” organised by the ATCON in conjunction with NetHost Nigeria Limited.
The NDPR (Nigeria Data Protection Regulation) has been described by many stakeholders as the most comprehensive generally applicable legislation on data protection in Nigeria. It prescribes the minimum data protection requirements for the collection, storage, processing, management, management, operation and technical data in Nigeria.
NDPR was issued by the National Information Technology Development Agency (“NITDA”) in 2019.
Teniola, reiterated that NDPR aims at protecting and guaranting the safety of all users of web from the unscrupulous people who use their knowledge to defraud and cheat people who are genuinely transacting business over different websites (public and private).
He stated that “ATCON partners with this company in order to prevent our members from running against the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
“As we all know the Regulation aims at protecting and guarantying the safety of all users of web from the unscrupulous people who use their knowledge to defraud and cheat people who are genuinely transacting business over different websites (public and private).
“It should also be emphasized that data is now the new gold and it must be treated accordingly, ATCON embarked on the awareness and implementation of the data protection regulation because of its strategic importance to our members businesses and to reduce or prevent cybercrimes by ensuring the safety and protection of Nigerians digital details on the world wide web as the failure to give adequate protection to data could be very devastating and costly to individuals and businesses.
“We commend Mr Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, director general/CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for putting the document together for the benefits of Nigerians who have moved their physical transactions online.
In his presentation, Dr Abiola Abimbola, director of Information Security at NetHost Nigeria Limited, a Data Protection Compliance Organization (DPCO), emphasised why every organisation should incorporate NDPR guidelines in their data management policies.
He stressed that “personal data” in NDPR is similar to that of other African countries and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
He said that by definition, personal data further provides examples of personally identifiable information and includes MAC addresses, IP addresses, IMEI numbers, IMSI numbers and SIM numbers. NITDA considers that the personal data of deceased data subjects falls within the scope of the Regulation and can be enforced by their estate.
Similarly, the concept of “processing” is broadly construed and it includes inter aliadata collection, recording or consultation.
This means, for example, that any operation tending to anonymise personal data, through encryption, anonymisation, pseudonymisation, hashing, scrambling prior to using the data for behavioural analyses or statistics, constitutes a processing activity and falls within the scope of the regulation.
He said the same applies to any remote access or remote visualisation by, for instance, an IT support service provider, even if the data is not hosted on its systems.
He encouraged organisations to engage Data Protection Compliance Organisations (“DPCOs”) which are consulting firms, audit firms, law firms etc, that have been licensed by NITDA to provide training, auditing, and consulting services throughout the country.
In the wake of increasing geopolitical tension, Cassava Technologies has unveiled its National Sovereign Cloud offering for African governments.
The solution, the company claims, will help the continent’s governments ensure data is kept on infrastructure that remains under local legal and operational jurisdiction.
According to the official announcement, made yesterday, the solution provides “secure, locally-governed digital infrastructure that enables the deployment of AI-enabled public services”.
The overarching solution encompasses cloud, cyber security, AI computing infrastructure, as well as local language AI models and skills support for governments.
The announcement comes amid increasing uncertainty over the hosting of sensitive national data on cloud services operated by foreign hyperscalers, which are subject to legal frameworks, such as the U.S. CLOUD Act. The CLOUD Act opens the door to allow American authorities to access data stored on the servers of US hyperscalers, wherever those servers are physically located.
Cassava has claimed separately that currently, “approximately 33% to 45% of the world’s data is hosted in the USA”.
The company added: “A sovereign cloud reduces exposure to extraterritorial laws, improves cyber resilience, and ensures that model weights and training data for public AI remain under national custody.”
The Africa Data Centres Association’s 2026 Economic Report states that “data sovereignty has evolved from a legal aspiration into a strategic policy lever”.
Ahmed El Beheiry, Group COO and Group Chief Technology and AI Officer, Cassava Technologies said: “Across Africa, governments are accelerating their digital transformation agendas and are increasingly focused on ensuring that data and digital infrastructure remain secure and sovereign.”
Announced at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, this week, the Sovereign Cloud offering launch accompanied the launch of Cassava’s Cloud Partner programme.
The partner programme targets mobile network operators and system integrators across Africa to resell and distribute AI, cloud, and other digital services using Cassava’s infrastructure and technology platforms.
El Beheiry added: “We are expanding Africa’s sovereign AI ecosystem to build solutions that address the continent’s unique challenges while creating new opportunities for growth and digital inclusion.”
The programme offers partners access to NVIDIA Cloud Partner solutions, Cassava’s AI Factory, its own native AI solutions and its AI Multi-Model Exchange, which supports both Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini models.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
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