Mastercard has announced the successful onboarding of its employees in Nigeria onto the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) flagship training platform, the Virtual Privacy Academy (VPA).
This milestone underscores Mastercard’s commitment to privacy, data responsibility, and regulatory compliance, while advancing its broader ambition to embed responsible data practices across Africa’s digital economy.
The VPA is a training program developed by the NDPC to equip professionals with essential knowledge on personal data governance, lawful processing, cybersecurity hygiene, and emerging regulatory obligations.
It distills the core principles of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025 framework into engaging, locally relevant content for employees across all sectors.
The urgency, Mastercard said, is clear, data breach incidents in Nigeria surged by 64% in the first quarter of 2023 alone, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission investigated 213 privacy breaches between 2023 and 2024, underscoring the critical need for widespread privacy awareness training.
“Privacy is not just a compliance requirement; it’s a core pillar of digital trust. By enrolling all our Nigerian staff in the NDPC Virtual Privacy Academy, we are embedding privacy awareness into the fabric of our operations and supporting Nigeria’s digital rights agenda,” said Mark Elliott, Division President for Africa at Mastercard.
“The Virtual Privacy Academy represents a landmark opportunity to scale privacy knowledge in a way that is both practical and impactful. Our collaboration with NDPC is equipping professionals with the tools to make ethical, informed decisions that protect individuals while enabling innovation,” said Derek Ho, Deputy Chief Privacy, AI and Data Responsibility Officer, Mastercard.
“We are proud to work with Mastercard to deliver real-world solutions that strengthen Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem. The Virtual Privacy Academy will play a critical role in empowering professionals with the knowledge and confidence to uphold ethical data practices in a rapidly evolving digital world,” said Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC.
Following the completion of the training for all Mastercard employees in Nigeria, Mastercard plans to extend access to the VPA to its vendors and suppliers, in line with NDPC guidelines. This initiative builds on Mastercard’s work with regulators, professionals, MSMEs, and fintechs to foster a secure, inclusive, and trusted digital environment.
As part of this broader ambition, Mastercard is helping unlock Africa’s $1.5 trillion digital payments potential by 2030 by strengthening digital trust, enabling innovation, and championing responsible data practices across the continent.
