NDPC slams ₦766m fine on MultiChoice for data privacy violations.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has imposed a fine of ₦766million on MultiChoice Nigeria for breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), following an investigation launched in the second quarter of 2024 into suspected violations of subscribers' privacy rights and unlawful cross-border transfer of Nigerians' personal data.
A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the commission’s Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, Babatunde Bamigboye, revealed that MultiChoice violated the data privacy rights of its subscribers and individuals associated with them who are not necessarily subscribers, adding that it was also discovered that MultiChoice engaged in illegal cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerian data subjects.
Consequently, the NDPC's National Commissioner, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, has directed that all channels used by MultiChoice to collect personal data from Nigerian citizens must be investigated for non-compliance, warning that any outlet found processing personal data in violation of the NDPA will face penalties.
The commission emphasized Nigeria's entitlement to protect its citizens and data sovereignty under both international and domestic laws, citing implications for rule of law, national security, and economic growth.
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