Nigeria probes Temu over data protection concerns

Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission has launched an investigation into Chinese-owned e-commerce platform Temu over concerns about how it collects, processes, and transfers users’ personal data. The probe follows preliminary findings that Temu handles data belonging to about 12.7 million Nigerians and may have breached provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023. The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of Temu, which is also facing investigations in Europe and the United States over data protection, product compliance, and privacy concerns.

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has announced that it has opened an investigation into the Chinese-owned e-commerce platform Temu following growing concerns about the company’s data protection practices and the way it processes personal information belonging to Nigerian users. The commission said the decision to investigate was taken after issues were raised regarding how personal data is collected, used, stored, and transferred by the platform.
According to a statement published online late on Monday, the NDPC explained that the investigation was triggered by a range of concerns, including alleged online surveillance through personal data processing, questions around accountability, and possible failures to comply with data minimization requirements. The commission also pointed to transparency issues, the duty of care owed to users, and the handling of cross-border data transfers as key areas of focus in the ongoing probe.
The move by the Nigerian authorities comes at a time when Temu is facing increasing scrutiny worldwide, particularly as it continues to expand rapidly into international markets. Nigeria, being Africa’s most populous country and one of Temu’s largest and fastest-growing markets, represents a significant testing ground for the company’s compliance with local data protection laws.
NDPC’s National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, ordered the investigation and issued a warning that data processors could be held legally responsible for any violations uncovered during the probe. He emphasized that non-compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023 could attract sanctions, reinforcing the commission’s commitment to enforcing the country’s data protection framework.
In its statement, the NDPC disclosed that preliminary findings suggest Temu currently handles the personal data of approximately 12.7 million Nigerians. This figure underscores the scale of the platform’s operations in the country and the potential impact of any data protection shortcomings on a large segment of the population.
Temu, which operates as an app-driven online discount marketplace, is already the subject of multiple investigations in several countries. These investigations have often been prompted by concerns related to data protection, as well as issues surrounding product quality, regulatory compliance, and pricing practices. The scrutiny reflects broader global unease about the rapid rise of low-cost online retail platforms and their adherence to consumer protection and privacy standards.
In Europe, the European Commission announced an investigation last October, stating that Temu was not doing enough to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform. As part of that inquiry, Temu’s European Union headquarters in Dublin was later searched, highlighting the seriousness with which EU regulators were treating the matter.
In the United States, Temu has also faced legal challenges at the state level. Several states have accused the company of breaching data protection laws, and in December, Arizona joined the list of states raising concerns. Arizona authorities alleged that the platform tracked users extensively and was required to share data requested by the government with authorities in Beijing.
At the time, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes warned about the breadth of the alleged data tracking, saying the app could detect users’ movements to sensitive locations such as doctors’ offices, public libraries, political events, and private homes. She described the scale of the alleged invasion of privacy as enormous, reinforcing fears about how much personal information users may be exposing when using the platform.