Tijani: Tinubu’s Support Has Helped NDPC Become One of Africa’s Leading Data Protection Authorities

A recovered property linked to corruption cases has been converted into the permanent headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission in Abuja, highlighting the government’s effort to return recovered assets to public use.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this in a statement following the commissioning of the new headquarters of the NDPC.

Tijani said the property was recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission through its investigations into corruption cases before President Bola Tinubu approved its use by the data protection agency.

He said the development demonstrated how assets recovered from corruption could be redirected towards productive public service.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has provided consistent support to the NDPC since the agency was established, including the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law in 2023.

Tijani also noted that the administration provided intervention funding to support the commission before it became capable of generating its own income.

He added that the President had directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies to comply with the NDPC’s data protection framework.

The minister said the support had contributed to the growth of the commission and its increasing recognition for data protection work in Africa and globally.

He further linked the development to the government’s broader digital economy agenda, saying the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product had risen from about 16–18 per cent when the administration assumed office to approximately 21 per cent.

Tijani said the conversion of the recovered property into an office for the NDPC represented a shift from corruption-related use to protecting Nigerians and their personal data.