Study of Data Privacy Awareness and Compliance Behaviour Among Civil Servants in Ondo State, South West Nigeria

The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 imposes compliance obligations on public institutions handling personal data, and civil servants represent both data processors and rights holders whose awareness and compliance behaviour determine the effectiveness of data protection governance in state government operations. This study examines data privacy awareness and compliance behaviour among civil servants in Ondo State, South West Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was applied to 260 civil servants from four state government ministries in Akure, selected through proportionate stratified sampling. The questionnaire measured awareness of the Nigeria Data Protection Act provisions, data handling practices (storage, sharing, consent collection), knowledge of data subject rights, and institutional compliance support received. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were computed in SPSS. Available data protection literature from South West Nigeria identifies limited formal data protection training, absence of internal data protection officers in many state agencies, and unclear guidance on personal data definitions in government contexts as the dominant compliance gaps. The Reasoned Action Approach and the Compliance Motivation Theory provide the analytical reference. Findings indicate that fewer than 30 percent of respondents had received any formal data protection training, while 64 percent were unaware of their institution's data retention policies. Recommendations address mandatory NDPC-compliant staff training, appointment of ministry-level data protection officers, and a government-wide data protection compliance audit programme. Keywords: data privacy, Nigeria Data Protection Act, civil servants, Ondo State, compliance behaviour.