Nigeria's data protection regulator and Meta are running a six-week privacy awareness campaign across Facebook and Instagram, reaching millions of Nigerians with education on how to control their personal information online.
The campaign, created in partnership with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), will deliver content in English and local languages. It's designed to help people navigate privacy controls that already exist on Meta's platforms—Privacy Checkup, end-to-end encryption, Two-Factor Authentication, and Login Alerts—but often go unused simply because people don't know they're there.
"Protecting people's privacy is a priority for us," said Sade Dada, Meta's Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa. "We're taking an important step toward educating users by ensuring they are aware of the tools available."
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Start Your News DetoxWhy this matters in Nigeria
Nigeria has over 60 million social media users, and the digital economy is growing fast. But privacy awareness hasn't kept pace. The NDPC, which enforces Nigeria's Data Protection Regulation (passed in 2019), sees education as foundational to building trust in digital spaces. When people understand how to protect their data, they're more likely to participate confidently in online commerce, banking, and civic life.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the NDPC's National Commissioner, framed the partnership as essential: "Social media platforms have become a significant part of modern day interaction and information sharing. Through this collaboration, we will ensure that the rights and freedoms of our citizens are protected."
Meta has invested over $8 billion since 2019 in privacy infrastructure and transparency tools globally. This campaign is part of that broader commitment, but it's also specific to a market where digital literacy and privacy awareness are still developing. The six-week timeline suggests a concentrated push—the kind of sustained effort needed to shift behavior at scale.
The partnership reflects a broader pattern: regulators and platforms increasingly working together on education rather than enforcement alone. It's not a substitute for regulation, but it acknowledges that people can't protect themselves if they don't know what tools exist. The campaign will test whether awareness alone moves the needle on actual privacy behavior—whether Nigerians who learn about these features actually use them.
