The Nigeria Data Protection Commission Issues The General Application And Implementation Directive 2025 (GAID)

On 20 March 2025, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission ("NDPC") released the General Application and Implementation Directive 2025 ("GAID"). The GAID is aimed at providing detailed guidance on the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 ("NDPA").

The GAID has replaced the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation ("NDPR") 2019 and requires data controllers and processors who fall within the ambit of the NDPA and process the personal data of Nigerian residents to comply with its provisions.

The GAID has been designed to create uniformity in the application of the NDPA and it clarifies the key provisions of the NDPA particularly regarding:

• data governance;
• data processing principles;