
Data privacy violations pose complex challenges for governments, corporations, and individuals across Africa’s rapidly evolving digital environment. This masterclass is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and strategies needed to litigate privacy rights effectively—from understanding key legal frameworks to leveraging digital-forensic evidence and strategic remedies. Attendees will draw on landmark case precedents and engage in an interactive mock-courtroom scenario to translate theory into practice, emerging ready to build, defend, and advance impactful privacy-rights cases continent-wide.
DATE: Wednesday 26th Nov 2025
Duration: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this masterclass, participants will:
- Understand the key legal frameworks governing privacy and data protection in Africa.
- Learn how to build and argue strong privacy litigation cases.
- Gain practical experience in evidence gathering and advocacy.
- Be equipped with strategic insights into privacy enforcement and litigation techniques.
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Legal practitioners (lawyers, judges, and law students)
- Data protection officers and compliance professionals
- Human rights and digital rights advocates
- Policy makers and regulators
- Academics and researchers in privacy law
MASTERCLASS AGENDA
- Introduction (5 Minutes)
- Welcome remarks and objective setting
- Brief introduction to privacy litigation and its growing significance in Africa
- Overview of key privacy laws and legal frameworks (e.g., Nigeria’s NDPR, GDPR, AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, etc.)
- Fundamentals of Privacy Litigation (15 Minutes)
- Key principles of privacy and data protection law
- Types of privacy violations that lead to litigation(e.g., unlawful surveillance, data breaches, biometric data misuse)
- Legal grounds for privacy claims– constitutional protections, statutory rights, and international frameworks
- Standing to sue– who can bring a privacy lawsuit?
- Developing a Strong Privacy Case (20 Minutes)
- Gathering Evidence in Privacy Cases
- Digital forensics and metadata as evidence
- Proving harm and damage in privacy violations
- Legal Strategies for Privacy Litigation
- Injunctive relief, damages, and other remedies
- Class action lawsuits in privacy cases
- Strategic litigation in the public interest
- Key Case Law and Landmark Decisions
- Review of major privacy litigation cases in Africa and beyond
- Lessons learned from global and regional privacy litigation
- Defending Against Privacy Violations (15 Minutes)
- Litigation against government surveillance and overreach
- Challenging corporate data mismanagement and misuse
- Defenses commonly used in privacy litigation
- National security and public interest arguments
- Legitimate business interest claims
- Regulatory enforcement vs. civil litigation – choosing the right approach
- Practical Session & Q&A (20 Minutes)
- Interactive Scenario:Participants will analyze a hypothetical privacy violation case and develop litigation strategies
- Mock Courtroom Discussion:How to present arguments effectively in privacy-related lawsuits
- Q&A Session:Open floor for expert-led discussion on challenges and opportunities in privacy litigation