Monday, July 7, 2025 - The Federal Government has imposed a fine of ₦766,242,500 on Multichoice Nigeria for breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Act, following findings that the company violated subscribers’ privacy rights and unlawfully transferred citizens’ personal data across national borders.
The sanction was announced by the Nigeria Data Protection
Commission (NDPC) in a statement on Sunday. According to Babatunde Bamigboye,
the Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at NDPC, the fine follows an
investigation that began in the second quarter of 2024 after concerns emerged
over Multichoice’s data handling practices.
“The depth of data processing by Multichoice is patently
intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” the statement read.
“This is a grave affront to the fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in
Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The NDPC said the probe revealed multiple violations,
including the unauthorised processing of personal data belonging not only to
Multichoice subscribers but also to individuals with no customer relationship
with the company. It also found that Multichoice had transferred Nigerians’
data abroad without meeting legal requirements.
The commission stated that it had initially directed
Multichoice to take corrective steps in line with regulatory procedures, but
the company’s response was deemed inadequate. “For want of cooperation, the
commission has directed Multichoice to pay ₦766,242,500 for violating the
Nigeria Data Protection Act,” Bamigboye said.
The National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, has
now ordered a broader investigation into all Multichoice data collection points
nationwide, warning that any outlet found in breach of the Act would face
penalties.
The NDPC emphasized that Nigeria will defend its data
sovereignty in line with both local and international frameworks. It added that
violations of this nature threaten not just individual privacy but also
national security, legal integrity, and economic stability.
This fine marks the latest in a string of regulatory
challenges for Multichoice Nigeria. Earlier in February 2025, the Federal
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) ordered the company to
suspend a planned subscription price increase pending investigation. Despite
the directive, Multichoice implemented the hike on March 1, 2025, prompting
further legal action.
The FCCPC subsequently filed criminal charges against
Multichoice Nigeria and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe. The charges
include obstruction of a regulatory investigation, defiance of official orders,
and dissemination of misleading information, all in violation of the Federal
Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.
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