Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a pan-African NGO, has urged stricter enforcement of existing laws and greater government commitment to safeguarding Nigerians’ data and digital rights.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, made the call on Thursday in Abuja while presenting a report on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Nigeria.
Sesan expressed concern that despite the enactment of the Data Protection Act of 2023, enforcement has remained weak, leaving citizens’ personal data exposed. He noted that for three consecutive years, sensitive information — including National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and even details of high-profile political and security officials — had been sold online at cheap rates.
He warned that while Nigeria had made strides in technology, key digital rights such as privacy, online protection, freedom of expression, and access to information were increasingly under threat. According to him, arbitrary internet shutdowns, poor data protection enforcement, surveillance, and inconsistent digital policies continue to erode citizens’ trust and limit the country’s digital growth.
Highlighting the Stemming the Tide of Abuse in Nigeria’s Digital Space (STANDS) Project, Sesan said it had brought transformative change through litigation, advocacy, evidence-building, and capacity strengthening to protect citizens and influence policy.
He also thanked development partners, including the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, Ford Foundation, Luminate, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, Mott Foundation, Open Society Foundations (OSF), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Internet Society Foundation, for supporting PIN’s mission.
PIN’s Chief Operating Officer, Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, highlighted the organisation’s broader impact, including developing toolkits, producing award-winning short films, providing scholarships, and improving digital literacy for young Africans.
Similarly, Khadija El-Usman, Senior Programmes Officer for Anglophone West Africa, shared insights from the 2024 Nigeria Londa Report, which evaluates the state of digital rights and inclusion using the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) principles as a benchmark.
According to the report, Nigeria scored 36 out of 60, placing it at a “moderately compliant” level. The assessment showed that while progress had been made, challenges persisted in areas such as internet affordability, connectivity, and digital literacy — particularly for women, rural dwellers, and persons with disabilities.
El-Usman noted: “This assessment is not just a research exercise. It reflects how over 200 million citizens experience their right to connect, speak, be protected online, and participate in the digital economy.”
PIN stressed that more urgent action was needed to close the gaps and ensure that Nigeria’s digital transformation benefits all citizens equally.
