Nigeria’s National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has ordered an immediate probe into the e-commerce platform Temu, following concerns that the company may be mishandling user data in violation of the Data Protection Act (NDPA).
According to Vincent Olatunji, NDPC’s national commissioner and CEO, early inquiries suggest potential breaches involving online surveillance, transparency, accountability, data minimisation, duty of care, and cross-border transfer of personal information.
The platform reportedly manages personal data for about 12.7 million Nigerians and 70 million daily users worldwide, raising the stakes of the investigation.
ENigeria Newspaper confirmed that the NDPC cautioned that any processors operating on behalf of data controllers who fail to verify compliance with the NDPA could face legal consequences, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to enforcing data protection laws across all platforms in Nigeria.
Babatunde Bamigboye, head of Legal, Enforcement & Regulations at the NDPC, reiterated that strict adherence to the law is essential, warning that non-compliance may trigger formal enforcement actions.
The probe is part of a broader scrutiny of foreign e-commerce platforms and how they collect, store, and transfer users’ personal data, especially across borders.
Temu, however, has not yet issued a response to the NDPC’s directive.
