NDPC Investigates Temu for Breaching Nigerians' Data

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has initiated an investigation into the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu over allegations of improper handling of personal data belonging to approximately 12.7 million Nigerians. The investigation was confirmed by Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, following indications that the company may have violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023.

The NDPC's head of legal enforcement, Babatunde Bamigboy, stated that the probe was triggered by multiple concerns regarding the platform's handling of personal data, including issues related to online surveillance, transparency, data minimization duties, and cross-border data transfer regulations. Dr. Olatunji emphasized the importance of strict compliance with the NDPA, warning that companies processing personal data must ensure legal compliance or face liability under Nigerian law.

This investigation comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of companies handling large volumes of personal information, particularly after significant fines were imposed for previous violations of the NDPA.