MultiChoice Nigeria has been fined ₦766,242,500 by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) following a comprehensive probe into violations of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA)
This was confirmed in an official statement by Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, NDPC’s Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations, who explained that the commission launched an investigation in Q2 2024 after receiving multiple complaints regarding privacy breaches and unlawful transfer of Nigerian user data across borders.
The NDPC found that MultiChoice not only violated its subscribers’ privacy rights but also mishandled the personal information of individuals connected to its customers—many of whom had not directly engaged the service.
Bamigboye emphasized that the scale and manner of data processing by MultiChoice were “excessively intrusive, unjustified, and disproportionate,” thereby constituting a serious violation of Section 37 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
He further noted that Nigeria, in line with international and local regulations, has a duty to protect its citizens’ data sovereignty—an issue that impacts not only individual rights but also national security and economic growth.
During the investigative process, the commission requested that MultiChoice implement a set of remedial actions to address the breaches. However, according to Bamigboye, the company’s response fell short of expectations. As a result, the NDPC imposed the ₦766 million fine and ordered a full review of all data collection channels operated by the pay-TV company.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the NDPC, directed that every platform or interface used by MultiChoice to gather personal data must now undergo thorough compliance checks. He added that any entity found violating the NDPA would be subjected to corresponding penalties.
The NDPC reiterated its commitment to enforcing Nigeria’s data protection laws and underscored the importance of transparency, user consent, and data integrity in the digital ecosystem.
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