By Desire Emmanuel
The Federal Government has ordered investigation into the activities of an e-commerce platform, Temu, after it was accused of failing to protect the personal data of its customers in Nigeria.
The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), announced on Monday, February 16, that it would investigate the platform for alleged violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
According to the commission in a statement, the investigation into Temu was triggered by “concerns around online surveillance through personal data processing, accountability, data minimisation requirements, transparency, duty of care and cross-border data transfer.”
The commission added that preliminary investigation indicated that Temu, as an e-commerce platform, processes personal information of approximately 12.7 million data subjects in Nigeria, with 70 million daily active users globally.
The commission therefore said based on these, it has become expedient to subject the activities of Temu to a probe in order to know to what extent it has transferred the data of its subscribers out of the country.
Temu is an online shopping platform that connects buyers directly with suppliers, mainly based in China. It’s like a giant digital mall where you can find almost anything, from trendy clothes and beauty products to home gadgets and outdoor gear.
Temu operates on a dropshipping model, allowing it to offer a huge variety of products at incredibly low prices.
However, some users have reported issues with product quality, shipping delays, and customer service.
