Digital Access Without Digital Awareness: Bridging The Gap Between Data Literacy And Data Protection Laws In Nigeria

Introduction

"Data is power"

The above succinct observation by Abhijit Naskar, a leading expert in human behaviour, essentially encapsulates one of the now defining realities of the world today. In an increasingly digitized world and with numerous advancements in technology, data and information have emerged as a central asset that has driven innovation, governance, and commerce. However, this growing centrality of data also presents significant risks, particularly in societies where awareness of data privacy rights and data protection laws remains limited.

In Nigeria, despite the establishment of legal frameworks such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), 2025, a substantial portion of the population remains uneducated and uninformed about the data protection laws, data privacy rights and obligations. Despite the rapid internet penetration, widespread mobile usage, fintech growth, there