NDPC, Governors Forum Train States On Data Protection Act

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, in partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, on Wednesday organised an Implementation Workshop for State Governments on the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 and the General Application and Implementation Directive, GAID.*

The workshop brought together Commissioners, Heads of Service, and Attorneys-General from across the states.

Declaring the event open on behalf of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, said data protection was central to Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.

In his keynote address, the National Commissioner/CEO of NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, stressed the importance of data protection and privacy, and outlined the consequences of non-compliance with the NDP Act using real-life examples.

He urged state governments to prioritise data protection in their policies and to communicate its importance to their governors.

“This will help foster trust and confidence among citizens, while also creating opportunities for citizens to benefit from the growing data protection ecosystem,” Olatunji said.

The Director-General of the NGF, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, who was represented by the Forum’s General Counsel and Legal Adviser, Chijioke Chukwu, Esq, delivered the welcome address.

Goodwill messages were also delivered by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, represented by Arch Joy Baderin; President of Data Knowledge Information Privacy Protection Initiative, DKIPPI, Apostle Tokunbo Smith; Chair of the African Union Cyber Security Expert Group, Alhaji Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola; and Chairman of the Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria, ALDAPCON, Mr Ivan Anya, among others.

The workshop focused on strategies for states to domesticate and enforce the provisions of the NDP Act and GAID.