The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a stern warning to content creators across the country against photographing or recording videos of unsuspecting members of the public without their consent and sharing such content on social media.
In a statement released on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Abuja by Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, the commission described these practices as clear violations of citizens' rights to privacy and informational self-determination.
The NDPC highlighted that such actions contravene Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the right to privacy, as well as provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).
Bamigboye noted that the commission has received reports of individuals capturing images or footage of unaware people often for entertainment or "reality show" style content and posting them online.
He cited an example where a content creator reportedly positioned themselves by roadsides in Lagos to film unsuspecting passersby.
“In any event, the data subjects involved have no expectation that their images will be captured and shared with the whole world by an unknown individual,” Bamigboye stated.
The statement emphasized that processing personal data, including images, generally requires the data subject's consent unless a lawful basis can be justified.
Preliminary investigations by the NDPC found that these willful invasions of privacy do not serve any public interest or legitimate purpose.
National Commissioner Vincent Olatunji directed social media platform owners to strengthen enforcement of their community guidelines and act promptly on reported violations, warning that failure to do so could lead to sanctions against the platforms.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over privacy invasions in Nigeria's booming digital content creation space, where viral videos often feature unconsented footage of ordinary citizens for views and engagement.
The NDPC urged content creators to respect privacy laws and obtain necessary permissions before filming and sharing images or videos of individuals.
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