Nigeria: Technology

In today’s digital-first legal environment, data has become one of the most valuable and strategic assets of a law firm. Law firms routinely handle highly sensitive information, including client records, litigation documents, contracts, financial information, documentation evidencing intellectual property assets, personal data, and confidential communications.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on road construction companies, contractors, engineers and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination and adopt preventive measures to protect fibre-optic cables during road construction, rehabilitation and other civil works across the country. The NCC said damage to fibre infrastructure could disrupt essential services and impose significant costs on citizens and the wider economy, as communications infrastructure now supports banking, government services, education, healthcare, commerce, security and emergency communications.

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdulahi, has called for a stronger collaboration among government regulators to accelerate the establishment of Nigeria’s National Regulatory Sandbox, describing inter-agency corporation as the cornerstone for building an innovation-friendly regulatory ecosystem.

In today’s business world, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly important technological tool. Recent advances in AI applications and technology advancement have contributed significantly to its growing popularity and adoption across different sectors. Therefore, the advancement of technology now enables computer systems and other machines to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence and participation.

The Federal High Court has affirmed the statutory powers of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to register Data Controllers and Data Processors of Major Importance (DCPMIs) under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023. In a judgment delivered on 28 July 2026 by Honourable Justice F.N. Ogazi in Emmanuel Harunna v. Nigeria Data Protection Commission (FHC/L/CS/1116/2024), the court dismissed the applicant’s contention that Point of Sale (PoS) agents should not be classified as Data Controllers or Processors subject to the Commission’s registration regime.

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is concluding arrangements to enter into a tripartite agreement with the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to strengthen product standardization, intellectual property rights protection, and commercialization of Nigerian innovations. The three agencies agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize their collaboration and working relationship.

Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission has released comprehensive proposed rules governing digital and virtual asset operations, introducing distinct regulatory categories for exchanges, custodians, and tokenisation platforms. The framework establishes capital requirements ranging from ₦200 million to ₦2 billion, detailed stablecoin reserve requirements, and enhanced investor protection measures across the digital asset value chain. Businesses operating in Nigeria's digital asset ecosystem

Nigeria's fintech ecosystem continues to attract significant local and foreign investment, but navigating its complex and overlapping regulatory framework remains critical to deal certainty, change of control and exit planning.

The Nigerian Exchange Group has unveiled plans to allow Nigerian companies with significant foreign exchange revenue and free trade zone enterprises to issue and list bonds and stocks denominated in US Dollars. This initiative aims to provide an avenue to meet the foreign exchange needs of such companies while enhancing investment opportunities in Nigerian capital markets.