Nasarawa State University Becomes First Nigerian University to Comply with Data Protection Act
During the meeting, the NSUK team presented a set of proposals to the Commission, including NDPC’s endorsement of the university as an institutional partner for promoting data protection awareness across the country.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) , led by its National Commissioner and CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, has welcomed a delegation from Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), to strengthen collaboration on data protection education and capacity building. The delegation, headed by Professor Muhammad Maikano Ari, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sa’adatu Liman, during the courtesy visit. Professor Ari commended the NDPC for its remarkable progress in implementing the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act), and proudly announced that NSUK is the first Nigerian university to fully comply with the Act’s provisions — a milestone that underscores the institution’s commitment to data privacy and governance.
During the meeting, the NSUK team presented a set of proposals to the Commission, including NDPC’s endorsement of the university as an institutional partner for promoting data protection awareness across the country. They also sought NDPC’s support to introduce new academic programmes in Data Protection and Governance, leveraging the expertise and infrastructure of NSUK’s Centre for Cyberspace Studies, which already offers postgraduate programmes in Data Forensics and Data Science. The university further requested collaboration on capacity-building initiatives to strengthen data protection compliance and literacy, especially within the North-Central region of Nigeria.
In response, Dr. Olatunji applauded NSUK’s leadership and innovation in data protection compliance, noting that it is the first university in Nigeria to appoint a professor as a Data Protection Officer (DPO), supported by a Deputy DPO. He endorsed all the university’s proposals and pledged his personal involvement as a guest lecturer in the forthcoming Data Protection and Governance programme. The NDPC Chief also highlighted several of the Commission’s ongoing projects — including the creation of Data Privacy Clubs, the Virtual Privacy Academy (VPA), and plans for the 2026 Privacy Week, which will focus on youth engagement in data privacy and cybersecurity. To solidify the partnership, both institutions agreed to establish a joint working group to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking the beginning of a strategic collaboration to advance data protection education, policy implementation, and regional digital capacity in Nigeria.
