The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has unveiled the Yoruba version of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), in partnership with Meta.
The unveiling ceremony was held on Friday in Lagos and led by the NDPC National Commissioner, Dr. Vincent Olatunji.
Olatunji said the translation into Yoruba — and soon into Igbo and Hausa — was aimed at reaching Nigerians who are not literate in English.
He described the initiative as a practical step toward ensuring millions of citizens understand their data rights and responsibilities in their native languages.
According to him, the translation will help people better appreciate their rights as data subjects and enable them to hold data controllers and processors accountable.
“Through this translation initiative, the NDPC has made significant progress in ensuring data protection principles transcend language and culture.
It reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to building a data-literate populace where every citizen, regardless of linguistic background, can understand and claim their digital rights,” Olatunji said.
He added that the move marks a turning point for local-language content creators, allowing clearer legal engagement with their audiences and stronger protection of digital identities.
The commissioner noted that indigenous-language creators have long contributed to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem through storytelling, education, commentary, and entertainment—often without full awareness of the legal frameworks protecting them.
“Language is the bridge between people and policy. With these translations, NDPC is making it possible for ordinary Nigerians to connect legal principles with everyday digital life,” he added.
Director of Privacy Policy at NDPC and Meta representative, Ms. Zainab Ololade, said imparting knowledge was the first step toward compliance.
She described the translation as a way to make data protection principles visible and relevant in society, rather than confining them to legal texts.
President of the Data Knowledge Information and Privacy Protection Initiative, Mr. Tokunbo Smith, commended the NDPC for the bold step, expressing confidence that it would strengthen the protection of data subjects across Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Mr. Hakeem Dauda, lauded the initiative, describing it as the first of its kind.
Dauda praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the Data Protection Bill into law, saying the step brings governance closer to the people.
Traditional ruler and “Royal Data Protection Ambassador,” Olufolarin Ogunsowo, described data as “life itself” and urged traditional institutions to drive grassroots awareness.
Another traditional ruler, Suleimon Oloko, described the NDPC Act as “highly needed and long overdue,” while calling for community-level sensitization.
The highlight of the event was the official unveiling of the Yoruba version of the NDPC Act, led by Ogunsowo, followed by a sensitization session by Mr. Smith, who discussed the act’s objectives, principles, and citizens’ rights and obligations.
