The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), has called for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s data protection framework across the 36 states of the federation.
The call was made at an Implementation Workshop on the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023 and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) for State Governments.
The workshop brought together Commissioners, Heads of Service and Attorneys-General from across the states to examine practical approaches to implementing the country’s data protection laws.
Declaring the workshop open, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, stressed the importance of effective data governance in Nigeria’s digital economy.
In his keynote address, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, highlighted the importance of protecting citizens’ personal information and the consequences of non-compliance with the NDP Act.
Olatunji drew on practical experiences to underscore the risks associated with poor data management and urged state governments to make data protection and privacy a priority.
He said state governments had a critical role to play in implementing national data protection policies, given their extensive handling of citizens’ personal information through public services.
The NDPC boss urged participants to communicate the importance of data protection and privacy to their respective governors and ensure that appropriate measures were adopted at the state level.
According to him, effective implementation of the data protection framework would strengthen citizens’ trust and confidence in government institutions while creating opportunities for Nigerians to benefit from the growing data protection ecosystem.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, represented by the Forum’s General Counsel and Legal Adviser, Chijioke Chukwu, Esq., emphasised the importance of collaboration between the NDPC and state governments in achieving effective data governance.
The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss challenges and opportunities surrounding the implementation of the NDP Act and GAID and strengthen cooperation between the federal and state governments on data protection and privacy.