FG mulls indigenous solution for data protection law implementation

The Federal Government says it plans to design indigenous solution for the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) disclosed this in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the forthcoming 2024 Data Privacy Week.

It was reported Data Privacy Day is celebrated globally on Jan. 28 but commemorated in Nigeria as a Week, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, to mark the establishment anniversary of NDPC which came into being on Feb. 4, 2022.

It was also reported that Data Privacy Day is an annual campaign with the goal of educating the public about the importance of online privacy and to encourage citizens to be more aware of their personal data protection.

Olatunji recalled that President Bola Tinubu, in June 2023, signed the Nigeria Data Protection Bill into law thereby providing a legal framework for the protection of personal information and the practice of data protection in Nigeria.

In implementing the legal framework, the NDPC commissioner said the government was considering strategies of using indigenous solution.

He disclosed that a hackathon that would facilitate the possible use of indigenous solutions in the implementation of the Act was part of the activities lined up for the 2024 Data Privacy Week.

“We are looking at what kind of technology that we can deploy in terms of implementation of the mandate, enforcement, investigation, reporting, or any other thing that will come up.

“It is like creating a formidable ecosystem, and we want to have indigenous solutions that can address some of these areas,” he said.

Olatunji said that winners of the hackathon would be awarded, as well as organisations that had done well in data protection and compliant regulation.

The Commissioner also disclosed that NDPC would partner with the Nigeria Association of Computing Students (NACOS) to deepen awareness on data privacy protection.

He recalled that, the commission, in the previous years, engaged a handful of schools to educate them on data privacy protection.

“We are widening the scope this year and we are encouraging stakeholders to go to schools to preach the gospel of data privacy.

“When we started, we engaged with six schools, then, it increased to 16 and also to 33 schools. Last year, we reached out to over 60 schools”

“This year we are working with NACOS to ensure that we do this in all universities in Nigeria to expand the scope,” he said.

Olatunji assured that the 2024 Data Privacy Week would be filled with activities to create awareness, evaluate performances and to map out new strategies, going forward.