Fragmented Protections: Institutional Barriers to Consumer Data Protection in Nigeria's E-Commerce Sector

Abstract

The growth of e-commerce in Nigeria has seen a resultant increase in the amount of personal data collected and processed through online platforms. Although the emergence of online trading platforms has made it easier for consumers to access different forms of e-services, the situation has brought up issues regarding the privacy and safety of consumers' personal data. Despite the existence of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, consumers who make use of online platforms are still at risk due to the issues of unauthorised data sharing, insufficient consents from consumers and lack of control over the process. This paper examines the institutional and regulatory problems that have affected consumer data protection in Nigeria. It adopts doctrinal and comparative law research approach. It analyses the existing laws in Nigeria, some provisions of General Data Protection Regulation, the enforcement strategy of the US Federal Trade Commission. It also reviews the privacy practices of leading e-commerce platforms operating in the Nigerian digital economy. This paper finds that the major weaknesses in Nigeria’s consumer data protection framework are linked to poor enforcement and fragmented institutional oversight rather than to the absence of legal rules. Many consent mechanisms used by digital platforms do not give consumers meaningful control over their data. There is a need for greater accountability of platforms, better consent standards, clearer enforcement procedures and stronger institutional cooperation if consumer data is to be adequately protected in the Nigerian digital economy.