NDPC partners Meta, Microsoft, Google for capacity building

The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has partnered with tech giants Meta, Microsoft, and Google to enhance knowledge sharing and strengthen capacity building.

In a statement on X on Thursday, NDPC said Vincent Olatunji, CEO of the commission, received representatives from Meta, Microsoft, and Google for a high-level strategic meeting.

“The purpose of the meeting was to explore collaboration between these industry giants and the Commission,” the statement reads.

“They acknowledged that a key pillar of the Commission’s strategic roadmap is collaboration, and expressed their interest in aligning with this vision.

“They emphasised the value of leveraging their expertise and insights, alongside those of the Commission, to support its mandate.

“It was also noted that this partnership would serve as a platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and exchanging perspectives between industry practitioners and the Commission.

“This initiative, which fosters partnerships between industry working groups and the government, will be the first of its kind in Africa.”

The commission added that the next step discussed is the formation of a working group and the development of terms of reference to guide the collaboration.

NDPC’s collaboration with Meta comes seven months after the commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) conducted a joint investigation into Meta platforms’ conduct, privacy policies, the operation thereof, and practices between May 2021 and December 2023.

Following the investigation, on July 19, 2024, FCCPC imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta for multiple data privacy violations.

The next day, Meta said it would appeal the $220 million fine.