Multichoice’s N766m fine: What is data privacy violation and how does it affect you?

In an era where almost every click, swipe, and subscription leaves a digital footprint, the right to privacy has become more critical than ever. Yet, many Nigerians remain unaware of how their personal data is being collected and used—often without their full knowledge or consent.

This reality came into sharp focus recently when the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) slammed Multichoice Nigeria with a staggering N766 million fine for violating the country’s data protection laws.

The sanction, the largest of its kind under the newly enacted Data Protection Act, raises urgent questions: What exactly is a data privacy violation? How does it affect ordinary citizens? And why is this fine a necessary step toward accountability in Nigeria’s digital landscape? This explainer breaks it all down.

What is a data privacy violation?

A data privacy violation occurs when an individual’s personal information is collected, used, shared, or stored by a company or organisation in a way that breaks the law, ignores consent, or exposes the person to harm. Personal data includes things like your:

• Name and phone number

• Email and home address

• Bank details and national ID

  
  
  

• Location, browsing history, or TV watching habits

• Biometric information (like fingerprints or facial data)

When a company gathers this data without your clear permission—or uses it for reasons they never told you about—it is violating your right to privacy.

For example:

• If a TV provider tracks everything you watch and shares it with advertisers without your approval

  
  
  

• If a company collects your details even though you never signed up

• If your personal information is sent to another country without being properly secured
  —those are all data privacy violations.

What is data privacy and why is it important?

Data privacy refers to your right to control how your personal information is collected, stored, used, and shared—especially by companies and digital platforms. This includes your:

• Full name

  
  
  

• Phone number

• Email address

• Bank details

• Home address

• National ID number

• Online activity (like what you watch or buy)

• Even biometric data (like fingerprints or facial scans)

Every time you sign up for a service—whether it’s TV, banking, or social media—you’re giving out personal information. Data privacy ensures that companies don’t misuse this data, sell it without your knowledge, or expose it to cybercriminals.

In Nigeria, data privacy is now backed by law through the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, which gives every Nigerian the right to know:

• What data is collected about them

• Why it’s being collected

• Who it’s being shared with

• How it’s being stored

• How to delete or update it

What exactly did Multichoice Nigeria do wrong?

According to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Multichoice Nigeria was found guilty of:

• Collecting personal data from people who weren’t even subscribers

• Processing subscriber data without proper consent

• Making unauthorised transfers of Nigerians’ data to other countries

• Failing to fully comply with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act

In simpler terms:
Multichoice gathered and used people’s private information in ways they never agreed to—and in ways that could have exposed them to risk. This includes how they handled sensitive viewing habits, customer profiles, and even interactions with people who never opted into their services.

How does this affect ordinary Nigerians?

Many Nigerians may not realise how often their data is collected. From watching TV to opening apps or using mobile banking, your personal data is constantly being recorded. If that data falls into the wrong hands or is misused:

• You could become a victim of fraud or identity theft

• You might be targeted with manipulative advertising

• Your personal choices and lifestyle could be exposed

• Your trust in services you pay for can be broken

Multichoice’s actions meant that Nigerians’ personal lives were being monitored or shared without their full awareness. That’s a serious threat to digital safety.

READ ALSO

Blow for Multichoice, win for Nigerians… making sense of NDPC’s N766m fine

Multichoice slammed with N766m fine, reason, other details emerge

Why MultiChoice sold SuperSport United and what it reveals about Africa’s Pay-TV crisis

Minister promises lower DSTV prices after high-stakes meeting with MultiChoice

DStv sports-only subscription: A game-changer for African football fans?

10 things MultiChoice can do amid rising subscriber loss

MultiChoice history: From Pay‑TV pioneer to facing digital disruption

MultiChoice cuts DStv decoder price by 50% to attract subscribers

MultiChoice 50% price cuts: Has Satellite TV era come to an end?

John Ugbe, other top MultiChoice executives set to be arraigned, see reason

From over N15k to N12k — how MultiChoice reversed DStv, Gotv prices after backlash

Full list: Multichoice increases DStv, GOtv subscription prices… see new rates

“Why I haven’t renew my DStv subscription since May 2024 — Lagos resident speaks

DStv and GOtv price hikes over the years: How MultiChoice subscription costs have skyrocketed in Nigeria

MultiChoice in crisis: Price cuts, subscriber exodus, and the battle for relevance

MultiChoice, MTN Group… top 10 African businesses owned by South Africans

MultiChoice price cuts: What it means for Nigerian subscribers and the future of pay TV

Explainer: Why MultiChoice keeps increasing DStv and GOtv prices in Nigeria

Why the ₦766 million fine was justified

Fining Multichoice ₦766.2 million was not just about punishing a company—it was about sending a message that in Nigeria, no business is above the law when it comes to consumer rights.

Here’s why the fine was the right decision:

1. It enforces accountability. Without real consequences, companies may continue to ignore privacy laws.

2. It protects consumers. The fine forces Multichoice to clean up its systems and protect your information better.

3. It sets a national example. Other telecoms, banks, and digital firms now know they must respect Nigerian data laws or face similar sanctions.

4. It aligns Nigeria with global standards. Countries around the world are tightening data privacy laws. This move places Nigeria on the map as a serious player in digital rights enforcement.

Most importantly, it gives power back to the people. For once, a big company is being held accountable for how it treats its customers—and that’s a win for everyone.

What can you do to protect your data?

Here are some simple steps to take:

• Don’t share personal details with companies you don’t trust

• Read terms and conditions before signing up

• Turn off unnecessary app permissions

• Ask questions about how your data is used

• Report suspicious activity to the NDPC or FCCPC

And remember, you have the right to request your data from any company that collects it—and to ask that it be deleted if you no longer use their service.

This is bigger than Multichoice

This case is about more than just one company. It’s about the relationship between Nigerian consumers and the businesses that serve them. It’s about saying “no” to silent exploitation of data. And it’s about building a future where digital safety and privacy are respected, not taken for granted.

The Multichoice fine is a major victory—but only if Nigerians stay aware, informed, and assertive. The more we understand our rights, the more we can protect ourselves in a data-driven world.