The National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, has kicked off the second cohort of the Data Protection Officers (DPO) Training and Certification programme, aiming to build a “globally competitive” workforce to secure Nigeria’s digital economy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the week-long training in Abuja, Dr Olatunji highlighted a critical shortage of certified professionals in the country.
According to him, despite over 500,000 data controllers and processors being legally required to employ DPOs under Section 32 of the NDP Act, Nigeria currently has only about 10,000 certified practitioners.
“We have created an economy around this ecosystem in Nigeria. And between when we started and now, we presently have over 27,000 people working in this ecosystem. But not all of them are certified data protection officers.”
“From our records, those that are certified are about 10,000. But the gap is still there. We have 10,000 certified data protection officers.”
“We have over 500,000 organisations requesting their services. The gap of about 480,000 still exists, which underscores the need for sustained capacity building.”
“94% of breaches are reported due to a lack of qualified and certified data protection professionals,” Dr Olatunji noted, emphasising that the initiative aims to make Nigeria a global hub for data privacy talent.
He further disclosed plans to connect trainees with licensed Data Protection Compliance organisations (DPCOs) for internships and job placements, describing the initiative as a pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.
In her remarks, NDPC Head of Research and Development, Dr. Tolulope Pius-Fadipe, underscored the critical role of data protection in Nigeria’s emerging data-driven economy.
She explained that as Nigeria transitions into a data economy, safeguarding data becomes essential to prevent loss and misuse, making data protection a key pillar of national development.
According to her, the training programme is designed not just for certification but for practical application, urging participants to fully utilise the knowledge acquired rather than treating it as a mere credential.
Pius-Fadipe revealed that the programme is highly competitive, with nearly 7,000 applicants vying for just 1,000 available slots, highlighting the growing interest and demand for expertise in data protection.
She commended the leadership of the Commission for its efforts in organising the training and encouraged participants to take advantage of the opportunity by actively engaging in the sessions and asking questions.
