Multichoice fine: How privacy violation happens — and how illegal cross-border data transfers puts you at risk

Features Tech
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July 7, 2025
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Your data could be crossing borders without your permission. Here’s how privacy rights are violated in the digital age.

Every day, millions of Nigerians hand over personal information to digital platforms—when subscribing to TV services, downloading apps, shopping online, or simply browsing the internet. What many don’t realise is that this information can travel far beyond Nigeria’s borders, often without their knowledge or consent. This silent practice, known as unauthorised cross-border data transfer, is one of the most serious ways companies violate your privacy rights.

The recent ₦766 million fine imposed on Multichoice Nigeria by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has drawn public attention to this issue. At the heart of the case was a troubling revelation: personal data from Nigerian subscribers was processed and sent across borders without meeting legal safeguards. But how exactly does this happen? Why is it dangerous? And what does the law say about it?

This report breaks down how violations of subscribers’ privacy occur—especially through cross-border data transfers—and why protecting your personal data is more important than ever.

What does subscriber data really mean?

Every time you subscribe to a service—whether it’s DStv, GOtv, a mobile app, or an online store—you provide personal information like:

Your name
Phone number and email
Location
Payment details
Viewing or usage patterns
Preferences and interests

This is called subscriber data, and companies use it to:

Create user profiles
Offer personalized recommendations
Process payments
Communicate with customers
Improve services or run ads

While this may seem harmless, how companies collect, store, and share this data can become a serious threat when not properly regulated.

What happens to Multichoice Nigeria after N766m fine and how the legal process works

Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023: What it means and how Multichoice violated it

How privacy violations occur in the digital ecosystem

There are several ways companies violate your privacy rights—often without you even knowing. These include:

1. Collecting your data without consent

If a company gathers your information before you’ve agreed to its terms or policies, it’s a violation. This is particularly troubling when they collect data from non-subscribers, as Multichoice Nigeria was accused of doing.

2. Exceeding the purpose of collection

If you sign up just to watch TV, but the company uses your data to push unrelated advertisements, share it with third parties, or create detailed behavioural profiles, it has gone beyond what you agreed to.

3. Failing to protect your data from leaks or cyberattacks

If the data is stored carelessly and ends up in the wrong hands, the company is liable for the breach.

4. Selling or sharing your data with advertisers or other businesses

Even if your name isn’t directly attached, data can be shared in bulk, allowing third parties to target you for commercial or political gain.

5. Transferring your data across borders without your consent

This is one of the most serious—and hidden—violations, and it’s where many Nigerians are unknowingly exposed.

What is cross-border data transfer—and why is it risky?

Cross-border data transfer means sending or storing your personal information in another country. This usually happens when:

A company’s servers are located abroad
They partner with foreign tech companies for analytics or storage
They use global cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure

While this can help companies run faster and cheaper services, it becomes a problem when:

You are not informed or asked for consent
The destination country has weak data protection laws
There are no safeguards in place to secure your data
Your information could be accessed by foreign governments or bad actors

In simple terms, your private data—collected in Nigeria—could end up on a server in another country where your Nigerian legal rights no longer apply.

What the Nigeria Data Protection Act says about cross-border transfers

The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 allows cross-border data transfers only under strict conditions. These include:

The receiving country must have comparable data protection laws
The company must put in place binding safeguards (like encryption, contracts, or audits)
The individual (you) must be fully informed and give clear consent
The transfer must be necessary for specific legal or contractual reasons

If any of these conditions are missing, the transfer is considered unlawful.

Multichoice Nigeria was found to have violated this rule—moving subscribers’ data across borders without meeting these requirements. This was one of the reasons behind the ₦766 million fine.

How these violations affect you

Violations of data privacy—especially through unauthorized international transfers—can:

Expose you to scams and fraud if your data is accessed by cybercriminals
Allow foreign companies or governments to build digital profiles on you
Undermine your legal rights, as your data is now governed by another country’s weaker laws
Enable aggressive and unsolicited advertising, tracking, or political manipulation
Make it impossible for you to request deletion, access, or correction of your data once it’s gone abroad

Most people are unaware that simply subscribing to a service could mean their personal details are being stored or processed in another part of the world—without their knowledge.

What needs to change

To prevent future violations:

Companies must be transparent about where they store and process user data
They must obtain meaningful consent—not just vague checkbox agreements
Regulators must regularly audit cross-border transfers and impose consequences for non-compliance
Nigerians must be informed of their rights under the Data Protection Act and report any suspicious or intrusive practices

Data shouldn’t cross borders without your knowledge

The unlawful transfer of personal data is more than a technical issue—it’s a breach of trust and a threat to national digital sovereignty. The fine against Multichoice Nigeria shows that regulators are beginning to take these violations seriously.

But for lasting change, Nigerians must understand the value of their data, demand transparency, and support stronger enforcement. Your personal information should be treated with the same care and respect as your physical identity—because in the digital world, data is you.

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