By Boye Oyeyemi

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has slammed a fine of ₦766,242,500 on Multichoice Nigeria for breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

The development was made public in a press statement sighted by Western Post on the official NDPC handle on X, formerly Twitter.

According to the Commission, the sanction followed a detailed investigation that began in the second quarter of 2024 after reports surfaced alleging that Multichoice was violating the privacy rights of its subscribers and engaging in the illegal cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerians.

According to NPDC, the probe revealed that not only were subscribers affected, but also individuals who were not direct users of Multichoice services.

NDPC stated that Multichoice’s handling of personal data was found to be “intrusive, unfair, unnecessary and disproportionate”, describing it as a direct violation of the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the statement signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations, the Commission emphasised that Nigeria reserves the right to safeguard the data and privacy of its citizens under both international protocols and domestic laws, warning that violations could undermine national security, the rule of law, and economic growth.

As part of its remediation process, the NDPC directed Multichoice to implement corrective measures.

However, the Commission found the company’s response to be inadequate and non-cooperative, prompting the imposition of the ₦766.2 million penalty.