MultiChoice Nigeria has been hit with a hefty fine of ₦766,242,500 by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).
The fine follows an in-depth inquiry into the potential infringement of subscribers’ privacy rights and the unlawful cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerians, initiated by the NDPC in the second quarter of 2024.
Following its findings, the NDPC concluded that MultiChoice had infringed upon the data privacy rights of its customers, as well as those connected to them who were not subscribers.
According to Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations at the NDPC, the depth of data processing by MultiChoice was deemed “patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” constituting a “grave affront to the fundamental right to privacy, as enshrined in Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The significant fine was imposed due to MultiChoice’s inadequate and obstructive response to the NDPC’s directive to implement corrective measures.
The Commission emphasised Nigeria’s right to protect its citizens and data sovereignty, underlining the broader implications for economic growth, national security, and the rule of law.
