The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in Nigeria has imposed a substantial fine of ₦555.8 million on Fidelity Bank for violating customer data privacy regulations.
This announcement was made by NDPC’s National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, during a Validation Workshop on the Nigeria Data Protection Act General Application and Implementation Directive held in Abuja on Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Fidelity Bank was found guilty of breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection (NDP) Act of 2023. The fine, which represents 0.1 percent of the bank’s annual gross revenue for 2023, is the largest ever issued by the NDPC.
Olatunji noted that the severity of the penalty was influenced by the bank’s lack of cooperation and dismissive attitude during the investigation. “Since we began enforcing data protection regulations, this is the most significant penalty we’ve issued,” he stated. He further emphasized, “Fidelity Bank’s violations were serious, and despite working with them since April 2023 to address these issues, their arrogance ultimately led us to impose the full penalty.”
The NDPC has given Fidelity Bank 14 days to pay the fine upon receiving the notice. This enforcement action highlights the commission’s determination to uphold data protection laws and ensure that organizations are held accountable for protecting customer data.
