Emmanuel Olu-Festus is a seasoned legal practitioner and data privacy expert with over a decade of progressive experience across legal advisory, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and data protection. His career spans pivotal roles including Associate Counsel, Legal Officer, Company Lawyer, Company Secretary, and Data Protection Officer.

Emmanuel currently serves as the Legal and Data Protection Officer at the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the registry responsible for managing the .ng country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD). In this role, he leads NiRA’s compliance with national laws governing domain name system (DNS) operations and data protection, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and EU-GDPR. He also oversees NiRA’s registration and compliance obligations with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), policy implementation, and the conduct of annual Data Compliance Audit Reports (CARs).

Previously, he was the pioneering Company Lawyer at Primero Transport Services Ltd., one of Africa’s largest urban transit operators and the primary service provider for the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

Known for his strategic insight and command of regulatory frameworks in both the digital and corporate spheres, Emmanuel’s expertise lies at the intersection of internet governance, domain name regulatory compliance, and data privacy law. His ability to align legal obligations with technological realities positions him as a thought leader in Nigeria’s evolving digital regulatory space.

He is an active member of the following professional bodies:

• Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)


• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN)


• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)


• NBA Lagos In-House and Government Counsel Forum


• Association of Privacy Lawyers in Africa (APLA)