Cybergon Cybersecurity, an international data protection compliance provider with operations across Africa, has launched a ₦200 million Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at strengthening the digital safety of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria.
The programme, codenamed Project64, will provide free implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) for NGOs in all 36 states of the federation. The initiative targets more than 4,000 organisations, many of which handle highly sensitive personal data ranging from records of displaced persons and orphans to community health data and election-related information.
Announcing the project at a press briefing, Cybergon’s Project Coordinator and Lead Consultant, Benedict Ugwuja, said the intervention was conceived to prevent NGOs from being exposed to legal risks, financial penalties, or reputational damage arising from non-compliance. He stressed that data protection has become a prerequisite for donor funding and institutional partnerships, noting that “when one organisation is vulnerable, the entire supply chain is at risk.”
The Nigeria Data Protection Act, enacted in 2023, makes compliance mandatory for all organisations that collect or process personal data, with oversight by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Section 64(1) of the Act specifically requires data controllers and processors, including NGOs, to adopt recognised standards in safeguarding data.
Ugwuja explained that Project64 would deliver tailored support to NGOs, including training, vulnerability assessments, policy frameworks, technical resources, and secure infrastructure. Beneficiaries will also be enrolled in wider digital literacy programmes aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on technology adoption.
“This project is as much about protecting lives and missions as it is about protecting data,” he said. “By ensuring NGOs are compliant, we are helping them to sustain credibility, retain donor confidence, and focus on their life-changing work.”
According to Cybergon, the initiative is designed not only to shield NGOs from regulatory sanctions but also to enhance public trust, safeguard sensitive personal information, and strengthen Nigeria’s credibility in global digital rights and privacy protection.
The project complements the work of regulatory and policy bodies, including the NDPC, NITDA, the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
Cybergon, which has over two decades of expertise in cybersecurity and has previously delivered compliance frameworks for key national institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, said all NGOs that take part will be issued with a government-recognised NDPR audit badge.
The company has invited interested NGOs, particularly those with limited financial capacity, to register for the programme.
