Chinese Shopping App Temu Under Investigation in Nigeria for Data Privacy Violations

Nigeria's data protection agency has launched an investigation into the popular Chinese-owned shopping platform Temu over alleged privacy violations. The probe focuses on concerns about how the company handles personal information from its 12.7 million Nigerian users.

Nigeria’s data protection authority has launched an investigation into the Chinese-owned shopping platform Temu following allegations of privacy law violations, officials announced Tuesday. The inquiry could result in significant financial penalties for the company in one of Africa’s largest consumer markets.

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) cited multiple areas of concern that prompted the investigation, including digital surveillance activities, unclear data handling procedures, international data transfers, and potential violations of data minimization requirements.

This investigation occurs as Temu faces increasing international examination of its aggressive global expansion strategy.

Vincent Olatunji, who leads the NDPC, authorized the investigation and cautioned that data processors may face accountability for any regulatory violations.

Temu has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the investigation.

The Nigerian data protection agency previously imposed substantial penalties, including a 766 million naira fine ($565,990) against Multichoice Nigeria, the continent’s leading pay-television provider, for privacy regulation violations last year.

According to the NDPC’s statement, Temu processes personal information for approximately 12.7 million Nigerian customers and serves roughly 70 million users worldwide each day.

The platform, which operates under the publicly-traded PDD Holdings on the Nasdaq exchange, has experienced swift growth in Nigeria through its mobile application that provides significant price reductions on clothing, technology products, and home items.