MultiChoice Nigeria have been slammed with N766m fine by the Federal Government over gross privacy violations and alleged illegal data transfers.
In a bombshell development that raises serious questions about corporate ethics and consumer protection, the Federal Government has imposed a massive N766,242,500 fine on MultiChoice Nigeria for flagrant breaches of Nigeria’s data privacy laws.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), in a scathing report, made available to NewsOnline Nigeria accused the pay-TV giant of illegally harvesting and transferring subscriber data without consent, describing the company’s data practices as“intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate.”
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The Commission further alleged that MultiChoice not only violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) but also engaged in illegal cross-border transfers of sensitive customer information, a move that starkly undermines Nigeria’s data sovereignty.
According to a statement issued Sunday by Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at NDPC, the fine follows an in-depth investigation conducted in the second quarter of 2024. The findings revealed that MultiChoice processed personal data of its subscribers and even their associates without lawful justification or consent.
“These actions represent a direct violation of Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ right to privacy,” Bamigboye said, adding that the company also violated international data protection norms and obligations.
Even more troubling is the NDPC’s assertion that MultiChoice was issued prior remediation directives, which it blatantly ignored. The Commission labeled the company’s response as woefully inadequate, highlighting what appears to be a pattern of non-compliance and corporate indifference to regulatory oversight.
In addition to the hefty fine, the NDPC has ordered a full compliance audit of all MultiChoice platforms and warned that any further violations will attract severe penalties.
As of the time of this report, MultiChoice Nigeria has remained silent, offering no public explanation or defense in the face of these damaging revelations.
This latest scandal could severely tarnish the reputation of one of Africa’s largest media companies, raising serious concerns about the safety of customer data in the hands of MultiChoice. With millions of Nigerians relying on its services, the fallout from this breach of trust could be far-reaching.
