Nelson Otieno studied law for his Bachelors degree and graduated with a first class LL.B from Kenyatta University School of Law in Nairobi, Kenya. Nelson also pursued a Certificate in Leadership Development and  Mentorship in Kenyatta University. He also pursued Masters of Law at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania as a Tanzanian-German Center for East African Legal Studies (TGCL) scholar. His research and publication interests are in regional integration, cybersecurity, ICT, and human rights. Nelson practiced as a litigation and compliance lawyer in Kenya for about two years before joining the programme. He currently works as a Doctoral Researcher in the International Doctorate Programme: Business and Human Rights under Professor Markus Krajewski at Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany.

Nelson researches on legal design and practice of collaborative data protection impacts assessments in Africa. The research develops a framework for realizing collaborative data protection safeguards that can effectively address historical, epistemic, instrumental, and social data injustices that derive from the deep-seated realities, experiences and contexts of African peoples. Using Kenya as a case study, the research uses the framework to assesses how business and human rights frameworks in Constitutions, legislations, common law rules and other applicable best practices provides various, and sometimes complementing, entry points for retooling and remaining the current legal design and practice to realize a collaborative DPIA in Kenya, Africa and beyond.