The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said it was investigating Chinese-owned e-commerce giant Temu amid concerns over its data protection practices. 

"The investigation into Temu was triggered by concerns around online surveillance through personal data processing, accountability, data minimization requirements, transparency, duty of care, and cross-border data transfer," the NDPC said in a statement published online late on Monday.

How large has Temu grown in Nigeria?

The move in Africa's most populous country and one of its biggest markets comes amid rising global scrutiny of Temu's rapid international expansion. 

NDPC chief Vincent Olatunji ordered ‌the ​probe and warned that processors could be held liable for any non-compliance under the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

The NDPC said in its statement that Temu handled the personal data of around 12.7 million Nigerians, based on its preliminary investigations.

Why is Temu facing scrutiny internationally?

The Chinese-owned app-driven online discounter Temu is subject to a series of investigations in several countries, often as a result either of data protection concerns or product quality, compliance and pricing concerns. 

Last October, the European Commission announced an investigation, saying Temu was not doing enough to stop the sale of illegal products on its site. Its EU headquarters in Dublin was searched later that year. 

In the US, meanwhile, several states have accused Temu of data protection law breaches. In December, Arizona joined their ranks, alleging that the site tracked users and was obliged to pass data requested by the government to authorities in Beijing. 

"It can detect everywhere you go, to a doctor's office, to a public library, to a political event, to your friends' houses," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said at the time. "So the scope of this invasion of privacy is enormous." 

Edited by: Louis Oelofse