NDPC slams MultiChoice ₦766 million fine for privacy breach

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has imposed a ₦766,242,500 fine on MultiChoice Nigeria for engaging in unauthorized data transfers of subscribers’ personal information and the data of third-party contacts, all without proper consent or safeguards.

The commission noted that this violation runs afoul of both the data protection act and Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy. This fine is significant because it marked 

According to the NPDC,  MultiChoice failed to provide adequate cooperation during the investigation. Consequently, the fine was enforced to reflect the severity of the breach.

“The depth of data processing by Multichoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” Babatunde Bamigboye, NDPC’s Head of Legal, Enforcement & Regulations said in a statement . 

The commission  further warned that outlets processing personal data in violation of the act would continue to face stiff penalties. NDPC’s National Commissioner, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, added that MultiChoice must now implement corrective measures across all its customer data touchpoints, including its physical and digital outlets.

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The fine also comes at a difficult time for MultiChoice Nigeria. The company has lost over 1.4 million subscribers between 2023 and 2025, with a sharp 44% revenue decline to $197.74 million in its 2025 financial year ending March. A downturn blamed on Nigeria’s economic strain and rising inflation.

As Nigeria tightens its data protection regime, this penalty signals a broader shift toward accountability in handling personal data, especially for companies operating at scale. The NDPC also raised concerns that illegal data transfers threaten not only consumer rights but also national security, the rule of law, and Nigeria’s global digital reputation.