Workplace Privacy and Information Ethics in the Nigerian Public Sector: A Study of Selected Federal Agencies

This study analytically examines workplace privacy practices and information ethics compliance in selected federal agencies in Nigeria. The enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 has introduced binding obligations on government agencies regarding the collection, processing, and storage of personal data, yet empirical assessment of compliance and ethical culture in the federal public sector remains limited. The research employs a mixed-methods design, combining a survey of 280 administrative staff in eight federal agencies with in-depth interviews with data protection officers. The Nigeria Data Protection Act, the ISO 27701 Privacy Information Management System, and the Information Ethics Framework provide the professional and theoretical grounding, with literature from 2022 to 2024 on data protection in Nigerian public administration supporting the analysis. Dimensions examined include staff awareness of privacy obligations, data subject rights implementation, privacy impact assessment practices, and ethical decision-making in information handling. The study identifies critical compliance gaps and cultural barriers to ethical information practice. Recommendations target the Nigerian Data Protection Commission and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. Keywords: workplace privacy, information ethics, federal agencies, data protection, Nigeria Data Protection Act