NAVIGATING THE TENSIONS BETWEEN DATA PRIVACY AND NATIONAL SECURITY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS

Abstract

The interaction between data privacy and national security is positioned by modern research as one of the urgent legal and policy questions of international concern. Swift technological advancement and a growing security threat have been the characteristics of Nigeria, which has seen a corresponding expansion of state surveillance capabilities, a trend that often serves to compromise the privacy interests of individuals. The current paper analyses the conflict between the right to privacy of personal information and national security in the Nigerian legal system. The main aims of it are to question the sufficiency of the data-protection and national-security systems in Nigeria, to identify the sources of conflict and suggest the balanced solutions that do not undermine the civil liberties but support the effective security measures. The study is methodologically grounded within the doctrinal research methodology. Comparative analysis compares the approach of Nigeria to that of the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom thus providing insight on how these jurisdictions treat privacy security dilemma. The results reveal that the data-protection system in Nigeria can be described as underdeveloped, where there is poor monitoring of the system and a wide range of discretionary powers granted to security agencies with limited accountability. To this end, the research suggests building on the legal protection, enhancing institutional protection, and embracing global good practices to create a more coherent and rights-respecting balance between privacy and security of data and national security.