Digital technology is reshaping the global order. Nations once secured their power through armies, borders, and natural resources. Today, the most strategic asset is data, the personal information generated each time people use phones, banking apps, social media, national ID systems, and digital public services. Whoever controls this data increasingly controls political influence, economic leverage, and the direction of society.
For Africa, and especially Nigeria, this transformation presents both enormous opportunity and growing vulnerability.
Data as the New Currency of Power
In the 21st century, data fuels artificial intelligence, financial systems, cybersecurity, and the digital economy. Scholars argue that data has become a form of geopolitical capital, giving governments and corporations unprecedented capability to watch, influence, and predict behavior (Zuboff 2019).
For citizens, this means their everyday digital activities are no longer private matters. They are resources with value traded, stored, and analyzed.
For states, controlling data means:
(i) Strengthening national security
(ii) Enhancing service delivery
(iii) Expanding economic competitiveness
(iv) Managing digital borders and identity
For external actors, it creates leverage over nations still developing technological sovereignty.
Africa’s digital future will be determined by who holds this power.
Nigeria’s Data Rush: A Double-Edged Sword
In Nigeria, digitization is accelerating:
(i) National Identity Number (NIN) registration now links individuals to mobile SIM cards, banking, and government records.
(ii) Fintech platforms process billions in transactions monthly.
(iii) Social media influences elections, public opinion, and activism.
(iv) Smart security systems and surveillance technologies are expanding.
While such systems enhance efficiency, they also centralize sensitive information. Without strong data protection culture, the same tools meant to secure citizens could be used to control them.
Weak Oversight, Strong Vulnerability
Nigeria enacted the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023) a major step. However:
(i) Data collection often exceeds data protection
(ii) Citizens lack awareness of their digital rights
(iii) Government agencies and private operators rarely comply fully with safeguards
(iv) Cybersecurity capacity remains limited (NCC 2024)
This imbalance places citizens at risk of breaches, exploitation, and digital profiling.
Big Tech: The Invisible Governors of African Data
Across Africa, American and Chinese tech giants dominate digital infrastructure. Cloud storage, telecom equipment, social media ecosystems, and mobile operating systems are mostly foreign-owned. Scholars warn that this creates digital dependency, a modern version of extractive political economy (Couldry and Mejias 2019).
Examples include:
(i) Social platforms are collecting behavioral data that shapes political narratives
(ii) Foreign cloud providers storing national data outside Africa
(iii) Surveillance technologies deployed without transparency
(iv) AI tools trained on African users but controlled abroad
If African states rely on external actors for data infrastructure, foreign interests could influence elections, national security, and social stability.
Cyber Power Is the New National Power
Countries like the United States, China, and India treat data as a strategic asset. They invest in:
(i) Domestic cloud infrastructure
(iii) Data localization laws
(iv) Cyber command units
Nigeria’s cyber institutions remain under-resourced, while cybercrime costs the economy over $500 million annually (EFCC 2023). Meanwhile, terrorists and criminal groups exploit digital tools for recruitment, financing, and disinformation.
The battlefield of the future is already here, and it is digital.
Human Rights in a Data-Driven Society
Data control affects constitutional freedoms. To track citizens digitally is to shape:
(ii) Privacy rights
(iii) Access to financial systems
Abuse can manifest subtly such as blocking social media, profiling activists, or manipulating algorithmic visibility. As the United Nations warns, digital governance must protect human dignity and prevent discrimination (UNHRC 2022).
Citizens must not become subjects of uninterrupted surveillance.
What Nigeria Must Do Now
To secure a just digital future, Nigeria needs:
#1. A People-centered data governance strategy
Where data collection aligns with democratic accountability and transparency.
#2. Stronger cybersecurity and technical capacity
Local expertise must match the sophistication of digital threats.
#3. Data localization for sensitive national assets
Critical datasets should be stored under Nigerian jurisdiction with robust encryption.
#4. Independent oversight bodies
Free from political influence to ensure data protection compliance.
#5. Public awareness of digital rights
Citizens must understand consent, privacy, and the value of their personal data.
#6. Public-private collaboration
To build secure infrastructure without surrendering sovereignty.
The objective is not to slow innovation it is to ensure innovation serves the people.
Conclusion
Africa’s bright digital future depends on who holds the power. When data is secured, democracies flourish. When it is misused, societies are manipulated.
Nigeria stands at a decisive crossroads:
Either become a continent-leader in digital sovereignty, or remain dependent on those who collect and exploit its most valuable resource.
Ultimately, a powerful Nigeria in the digital age will be defined not by oil reserves or military force, but by its ability to control and protect the data of its people.
********* By Dr. S.B Adams
References
Couldry, Nick, and Ulises A. Mejias. The Costs of Connection: How Data Is Colonizing Human Life and Appropriating It for Capitalism. Stanford University Press, 2019.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “Annual Cybercrime Report.” Abuja, 2023.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). “Cybersecurity and Data Protection Report.” Abuja, 2024.
United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). “The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age.” UN, 2022.
Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs, 2019.
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