The Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria, ALDAPCON, has commended 7 President Bola Tinubu for signing the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023 into law.
This, the Association says will accelerate the digital economy and development in Nigeria
The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 provides a legal framework for the protection of personal information, and the practice of data protection in Nigeria which ALDAPCON has championed.
The new law establishes the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and replaces the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) established by President Buhari in February 2022.
Led by the National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, the Commission is charged with the responsibility of regulating the practice of data protection amongst others.
The Association gave the commendation when the Chairman of ALDAPCON, Mr. Ivan Anya led other members of the association including its Secretary, Aliyu Abdulaziz, and Amb. Olusegun Olugbile to the newly created Nigeria Data Protection Commission in Abuja, where the association met with the National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji and other members of the Commission.
The Association said: “We want to commend Mr President for this progressive Act. We congratulate Nigerians and particularly note the great work put in by your agency to ensure this bill is passed.”
According to the Chairman of ALDAPCON, Mr Anya, the Data Protection Act will help enhance the data privacy and confidentiality of Nigerians, enable effective data flow, and boost Nigeria’s steadily growing data protection industry, necessitating new levels of skillsets and jobs that will impact significantly on the economy and protect the country’s data sovereignty as well as enhance GDP.
“The new law will ensure better clarity in the roles of data processors and data controllers, the association stated, even as it urged the Commission to increase its level of engagement with ALDAPCON with respective to the Commission’s various activities.
“We are here as stakeholders to grow the industry and as a partner of the Commission to ensure continuous engagement with you as a regulator for the overall health of the industry,” the Association gave the assurance.
Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) are licensed by the Commission and their roles include monitoring compliance with the extant data regulations and ensuring that data controllers do not breach the provisions of the Act.
Among others, DPCOs offer data protection regulations compliance and breach services for data controllers and data administrators; data protection and privacy advisory services; data protection training and awareness services; data regulations contracts drafting and advisory; data protection and privacy breach remediation planning and support services; information privacy audit; data privacy breach impact assessment; data protection and privacy due diligence investigation; and outsourced data protection officer among others within the framework of the Act.
Anya also requested the Commission to readily make the signed copy of the bill available as this will be useful to ALDAPCON members who would be carrying out the comparative analysis as well as the development of white papers.
“Now that, there is a statute to guide all activities around data privacy and data protection in Nigeria”
ALDAPCON also called for a more robust collaboration between the regulator and operators in a way that will better benefit the country in areas that include awareness creation and training which the law empowers DPCOs to do.
The National Commissioner, Dr Olatunji in response applauded ALDAPCON for its steady growth as an association and its increasing relevance in the industry.
He encouraged the DPCOs to take the Code of Practice seriously and render quality service to their clients.
He agreed with the association on the need for strong awareness around issues of data protection and urged DPCOs to leverage the media to build a strong industry voice even as he assured that the Commission will provide a copy of the signed Bill after the necessary gazette is complete.
Dr Olatunji while assuring the DPCOs of the Commission’s support urged them to employ quality staff to enhance the growth of their respective companies and be strategic in building a strong network amongst themselves.
