Nigeria expresses commitment to meet global benchmark on data privacy regulations
By Na'ankwat Dariem
The National Commissioner of Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Dr. Vincent Olatunji has affirmed the commitment of government to ensuring Nigeria meets the global benchmark for privacy regulations.
Olatunji was speaking at the recent Nigeria’s Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers event in Lagos where he was honoured as one of Nigeria’s Eminent Digital Economy Enablers.
He was presented the award by the Lagos State Honorable Commissioner of Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Popoola Fahm where he also identified Public Private Partnership as a vital mechanism for fostering sustainable data governance in the country.
While explaining the scope of Nigeria Data Protection Bill, Dr. Olatunji reiterated the developmental approach adopted by Nigeria with a view to safeguarding data privacy rights, data sovereignty and promoting sustainable growth of Nigeria’s digital economy through equitable cross border data flows.
According to the National Commissioner, protection with privacy has become the business of everyone whether as individuals or corporate entities.
He lauded the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, for his foresight in “pushing the agenda officially for Nigeria’s digital economy and its concomitant impacts including the setting up of the data privacy bureau.”
The event which was organised by IT Edge News Africa and partners, brought together stakeholders in the digital economy ecosystem.
The award ceremony is part of the West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC) inaugurated in 2007, almost two decades ago.
Dr. Olatunji was awarded alongside other prominent Nigerians and corporate entities including the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta, and Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa
Other organisations honoured include Tezza Solutions, PFS, Switch Solutions, Open Access Data Centres (OADC); FinTrak Software Co. Ltd; Ezzential Global Services Ltd; Crystalfix Nigeria LTD (CNL); Zora Communication Limited; Information Connectivity Solution Limited (ICSL); Unitellas International Limited; Swift Telephone Network Ltd (STN); HD Technologies and Smart Web Nigeria Limited.
