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Olatunji, NDPC Boss Calls for Integrated Strategy on Data Privacy, Cyber-Security

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Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has emphasized that data privacy, protection, and cybersecurity are “inseparable pillars of the digital age” and must be prioritized in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

Olatunji, NDPC Boss Calls for Integrated Strategy on Data Privacy, Cyber-Security

Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, NDPC

Dr. Olatunji made this assertion during his keynote address titled “Data Privacy and Protection: Nigeria’s Roadmap to Compliance” at the ongoing National Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja.

He underscored that while data protection focuses on safeguarding personal information from misuse, cybersecurity protects the systems that store this data. “Data privacy is a basic human right that empowers individuals to control how their personal information is collected, used, and shared,” he said.

“Strong cybersecurity is essential to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data. Conversely, robust data protection frameworks help guide effective cybersecurity practices and foster a culture of privacy.”

Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, Dr. Olatunji noted the country’s recent Tier 3 (“establishing”) ranking in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index and its top position in Africa particularly in the area of data protection. He traced the evolution of Nigeria’s data protection journey, culminating in the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).

He described the NDP Act as the cornerstone of the country’s data governance framework. “The Act regulates the processing of personal data in Nigeria and guarantees the privacy rights of individuals,” he explained.

It applies to both local and international data controllers and processors handling data of Nigerian subjects and provides clear guidelines on data collection, storage, consent, data subject rights, and penalties for non-compliance.

Dr. Olatunji cited the recent ₦766.2 million fine imposed on MultiChoice for non-compliance as an example of the Commission’s enforcement capacity. He also revealed that the NDPC has generated over ₦2 billion in the last two years, with the data protection sector now valued at ₦16.2 billion alongside the creation of numerous job opportunities.

He further highlighted ecosystem growth, citing the certification of 455 Data Protection Officers (DPOs) under the National Certification Program and verification of 3,343 Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs) by 2025.

While celebrating progress, Dr. Olatunji also pointed to key areas for improvement, including building institutional capacity, enhancing data literacy and workforce development, and strengthening collaboration across sectors.

In conclusion, he urged stakeholders to “embrace a culture of data protection, implement robust cybersecurity practices, and stay attuned to the evolving regulatory landscape” in order to reduce risks, protect assets, and support long-term national growth.

 

 

 

 

 


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Ebere Melum-Nwogbo is a trained and practicing journalist. She is passionate about ICT and business journalism. She has over a decade experience spanning money and capital market as well as information technology

E-Business

Transcorp Hotels Delivers Stellar H1 Results, Declares Over ₦1Bn Dividend

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Transcorp Hotels Plc has delivered a stellar performance in the first half of 2025, recording a 60% year-on-year surge in revenue to ₦47.57 billion, up from ₦29.72 billion in H1 2024. Gross profit climbed 71% to ₦36.21 billion, maintaining a strong 76% margin despite inflation and operational headwinds.

The hospitality giant, a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc, also announced an interim dividend payout of ₦1.024 billion — offering ₦0.10 per 50 kobo ordinary share to shareholders.

In a bold move, the company unveiled Nigeria’s largest corporate venue — the 5,000-seat Transcorp Centre — staking its claim as the new leader in event hospitality. Chairman Emmanuel Nnorom described the results as proof of Transcorp Hotels’ transformative strategies and unwavering investor commitment. MD/CEO Uzo Oshogwe attributed the success to relentless execution and a resilient business model.

Transcorp Hotels, renowned for iconic assets like Transcorp Hilton Abuja and its digital platform Aura, says it isn’t just leading Nigeria’s hospitality sector — it’s redefining excellence across Africa.


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Microsoft Servers Hacked by Chinese Groups

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Chinese “threat actors” have hacked Microsoft’s SharePoint document software servers and targeted the data of the businesses using it, the firm has said.

Microsoft Servers Hacked by Chinese Groups

 

China state-backed Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon as well as China-based Storm-2603 were said to have “exploited vulnerabilities” in on-premises SharePoint servers, the kind used by firms, but not in its cloud-based service.

The US tech giant has released security updates in response and has advised all on-premises SharePoint server customers to install them.

“Investigations into other actors also using these exploits are still ongoing,” Microsoft said in a statement.

The firm said it had “high confidence” the hackers would continue to target systems which have not installed its security updates.

It added that it would update its website blog with more information as its investigation continues.

Microsoft said it had observed attacks in which hackers had sent a request to a SharePoint server “enabling the theft of the key material by threat actors”.

Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Mandiant Consulting firm, a division of Google Cloud, told reporter, it was “aware of several victims in several different sectors across a number of global geographies”.

Carmakal said it appeared that governments and businesses that use SharePoint on their sites were the primary target.

A number of adversaries who stole material encoded by cryptography were then able to regain ongoing access to the victims’ SharePoint data, he said.

“This was exploited in a very broad way, very opportunistically before a patch was made available. That’s why this is significant,” Carmakal said.

Carmakal said the “China-nexus actor” was deploying techniques similar to previous campaigns associated with Beijing.

Microsoft said Linen Typhoon had “focused on stealing intellectual property, primarily targeting organizations related to government, defence, strategic planning, and human rights” for 13 years.

It added that Violet Typhoon had been “dedicated to espionage”, primarily targeting former government and military staff, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, higher education, the media, the financial sector and the health sector in the US, Europe, and East Asia.

Meanwhile, Storm-2603 was “assessed with medium confidence to be a China-based threat actor”.

 

 

 


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NIMC Warns Nigerians of Fake NIN Website

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a public warning that it is not associated with NINcard.com.

NIMC Warns Nigerians of Fake NIN Website

According to the commission, the website has been circulating online to offer services for Nigerians seeking National Identification Number (NIN) services.

NIMC, in a post on its official X account on Wednesday, said, “NINcard.com is not in anyway affiliated to NIMC. Stay vigilant!”

The warning was accompanied by screenshots of fake payment receipts and OTP request pages from the website, both of which were boldly stamped “FAKE” by NIMC to alert the public.


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