The Federal Government has warned that anyone found unlawfully accessing, disclosing or misusing the personal data of Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections will face prosecution.
The warning was issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which said it was increasing efforts to monitor how political parties, institutions and other organisations collect, store and use the personal information of citizens as political activities begin to gather momentum across the country.
The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, gave the warning on Saturday during an interview on Channels Television.
According to him, protecting the personal data of Nigerians is a national responsibility, particularly during election periods when political parties and campaign organisations often collect large amounts of information from voters and party members.
Olatunji said the commission would not hesitate to enforce the law against any individual or organisation found violating the rights of citizens through the unlawful handling of personal data.
“Anyone found revealing people’s data will be prosecuted,” he said.
The NDPC boss explained that many political parties collect information such as names, telephone numbers, addresses, voter details and other personal records of their members and supporters. However, he expressed concern that some organisations may not have adequate systems in place to protect such information from abuse or unauthorised access.
“They are collecting data of their party members. What kind of privacy safeguards, what kind of guardrails they have that they put in place.
“They don’t even know. That’s the truth,” Olatunji said.
He stressed that organisations collecting personal information have a legal duty to protect it and ensure that it is used only for the purpose for which it was obtained.
According to him, failure to provide adequate security for personal data could expose millions of Nigerians to identity theft, financial fraud, cybercrime and other forms of abuse.
The warning comes as preparations for the 2027 general elections gradually begin, with political parties expected to intensify membership registration, voter mobilisation and campaign activities over the coming months.
During election seasons, political parties and candidates often gather personal information from supporters through membership registration, online platforms, campaign events and volunteer programs.
Nigeria has in recent years taken steps to strengthen data privacy through the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
The law provides rules for how government agencies, private organisations and individuals should collect, process, store and share personal information. It also gives citizens certain rights over their personal data, including the right to know how their information is being used and to seek redress where it is misused.
The NDPC was established to enforce compliance with the law, investigate complaints and sanction organisations that violate data protection regulations.
Since its establishment, the commission has increased public awareness campaigns and compliance monitoring across sectors such as banking, telecommunications, healthcare, education and government institutions.
Olatunji said the commission would continue to monitor political organisations and other institutions to ensure that personal information collected from Nigerians is handled responsibly.
He noted that political parties, like other organisations, must comply with the country’s data protection laws by putting in place adequate security measures to prevent unauthorised access to personal information.
According to him, collecting personal data without protecting it exposes citizens to unnecessary risks and weakens public confidence in democratic institutions.
Although he did not mention any political party or organisation under investigation, he made it clear that the commission would not hesitate to take legal action against anyone found violating the law.
The NDPC boss also encouraged organisations that process personal data to improve their internal systems by adopting stronger privacy policies, staff training and modern cybersecurity measures.
He advised Nigerians to be careful about where they provide their personal information and to report suspected cases of data misuse to the appropriate authorities.
Data privacy has become an increasingly important issue around the world as more public services, financial transactions and electoral processes move to digital platforms.
In Nigeria, government agencies and private organisations now rely heavily on digital databases for identity verification, banking services, telecommunications, healthcare, education and elections. This has made the protection of personal information more important than ever.
As political activities ahead of the 2027 elections continue to gather pace, the Federal Government says it remains committed to ensuring that citizens’ personal information is protected and that anyone found violating the country’s data protection laws will be held accountable.
The latest warning by the NDPC is expected to serve as a reminder to political parties, campaign organisations and other institutions that the collection and use of personal data must comply with the law and respect the privacy rights of Nigerians.