MultiChoice Nigeria has been slapped with a ₦766,242,500 fine by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act). This substantial penalty comes after a year-long investigation into the operations of the South African-owned pay-TV provider.
Babatunde Bamigboye, NDPC’s Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations, announced the fine on Sunday. The investigation, which began in the second quarter of 2024, was triggered by reports of alleged breaches of privacy rights affecting MultiChoice subscribers and the illegal transfer of their personal data across borders.
The Commission found that MultiChoice violated the data privacy rights of both its subscribers and other third parties. Crucially, the investigation also revealed that the company was involved in the unlawful transfer of Nigerian citizens’ personal data outside the country without a legal basis.
According to the NDPC, “The depth of data processing by MultiChoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary and disproportionate. This is a grave affront to the fundamental right to privacy as guaranteed in Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The NDPC emphasized that protecting citizens’ personal data and maintaining national data sovereignty are critical to Nigeria’s commitment to international data governance, national security, and economic development.
As part of its standard enforcement procedure, the NDPC initially directed MultiChoice to implement remedial actions to rectify the violations. However, the Commission deemed the company’s response and level of cooperation unsatisfactory.
“For want of cooperation, the Commission has directed MultiChoice to pay ₦766,242,500 for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act,” Bamigboye stated.
Furthermore, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the NDPC, has ordered a full compliance audit of all MultiChoice data collection outlets across Nigeria. Any outlet found to be processing personal data in violation of the NDP Act will face penalties in accordance with the law.
