PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of a property recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the permanent headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
News Point Nigeria reports that the new facility, located in Mbora District, Abuja, was commissioned on Monday by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani.
Tijani said the decision was driven by concerns that the NDPC’s expanding responsibilities and growing international recognition were not matched by an adequate permanent office, adding that President Tinubu directed that the recovered property be transferred to the commission for official use.
The minister described the development as a demonstration of how assets recovered through anti-corruption efforts could be redirected towards projects that deliver tangible benefits to the public.
According to him, the property, which was previously linked to the consequences of corruption, has now been transformed into a facility dedicated to protecting citizens’ personal information and strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Tijani also disclosed that the NDPC faced significant financial difficulties during its early years, including challenges in meeting its salary obligations.
He said President Tinubu provided financial assistance to the commission during that period until the agency developed sufficient revenue-generating capacity to sustain its operations.
The minister further noted that Tinubu signed the Nigeria Data Protection Act in 2023, providing the commission with a stronger legal foundation to regulate data protection and safeguard the privacy of Nigerians.
He added that the President subsequently directed ministries, departments and agencies of government to comply with Nigeria’s data protection regulations.
Tijani stressed that data privacy would become increasingly important as Nigeria expands its digital economy and embraces emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
He said the growing adoption of digital government services, data-driven businesses and AI would heighten the need for responsible data management, stronger privacy protection and greater public trust.
Speaking at the commissioning, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, said the commission obtained approval for the property from the EFCC in July 2025, while renovation work commenced in March 2026.
Olatunji described the completion of the headquarters as a significant milestone for an agency that began operations with limited manpower, inadequate office space and insufficient funding.
He recalled that the commission commenced operations in February 2022 with about 12 employees and without dedicated funding, forcing him to deploy personal resources to support some of its initial activities.
According to him, the agency received N50 million from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in September 2022, marking its first major financial support.
Olatunji said the commission had since recorded substantial growth, including the licensing of 356 Data Protection Compliance Organisations.
He stated that the activities of the NDPC and the licensed organisations had contributed to the creation of more than 27,000 jobs within three years.
The commissioner also disclosed that the commission generated more than N12 billion in revenue during the same period, while Nigeria’s data privacy and protection ecosystem had grown to a value of over N18 billion.
He added that more than 66,000 Nigerians had enrolled in the NDPC’s Virtual Privacy Academy, while 220 training programmes had reached 99,370 participants.
Olatunji further revealed that the commission had established 17 data privacy clubs in universities, recruited 6,176 student ambassadors and reached more than 250,000 Nigerians through various awareness and engagement programmes.
He also disclosed that officials from 17 countries had visited Nigeria within the past two years to study the commission’s activities and learn from its experience.
According to him, the NDPC had also signed 28 memoranda of understanding with organisations and data protection authorities from several countries, including Canada, Morocco, Liberia, Kenya and Ghana.
The commission’s Head of People Management and Administration, Mrs Watira Fitto, said the new headquarters reflected the rapid expansion of the agency since its establishment.
Fitto said the larger facility would enhance the commission’s capacity to enforce data protection regulations and defend the rights of Nigerians.
She noted that the NDPC had operated from four different locations within four years as its workforce, responsibilities and operational requirements expanded.
According to her, the agency moved from fewer than three office spaces at NITDA to about eight offices in Maitama, and later 26 offices in Asokoro, before relocating to the new facility in Mbora District.
She said the new headquarters has approximately 56 office spaces, describing the facility as a major step towards strengthening the commission’s institutional capacity, operational efficiency and long-term stability.