The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched an investigation into Chinese e-commerce platform Temu over allegations that it is selling users’ personal data in violation of the country’s data protection laws.

The NDPC said concerns about how the company handles personal information prompted the probe.

According to the commission, the issues under review include online tracking practices, lack of transparency about how user data is processed, and how such data may be transferred outside Nigeria.

The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, ordered the investigation and warned that any company found guilty of breaching the law would face sanctions.

“Any organisation that is found to have violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act will be held accountable,” he said.

Responding to the development, Temu’s spokesperson, Robin Calleja, said, “We will continue to cooperate and engage with the commission to resolve any issues.”

The NDPC noted that Temu processes the data of about 12.7 million users in Nigeria, while the platform reportedly has around 70 million daily users globally.