Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has generated over N400 million in ensuring compliance with data protection and its remedial actions as the country joined the world to mark the 2024 Global Data Privacy Day.
Celebrated every January 28, the day is set aside to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices.
Data privacy is currently observed in the US, Canada, Israel, Nigeria, Qatar, and 47 European countries but is celebrated in Nigeria from January 28 to February 4, the day that marks the establishment of NDPC.
The National Commissioner of NDPC, Mr Vincent Olatunji, said at a news conference to mark the day in Abuja that, “Through remedial actions for completed cases, we have generated over N400 million revenue for the government.’’
Mr Olatunji recalled that the Nigeria Data Protection Bill which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, mandates the commission to enforce compliance in data protection.
Mr Olatunji, while recounting the achievements of the commission in the past year, said they inaugurated the Nigeria Data Protection Act – General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) Drafting Committee.
“It is worthy of note that our technical experts at the commission are already driving this process in collaboration with stakeholders from the industry.
“In the area of complaints and investigations, we have received over 1000 complaints and after a thorough review, 50 have been verified and investigations are currently ongoing on 17 major cases.
“These cases cover several sectors such as finance, technology, education, consulting, government, logistics, and gaming/lottery among others.”
He further said that in addition to fostering compliance, they have increased the number of Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) from 103 to 163.
According to him, our annual audit filing has increased to over 2000 per annum while the cumulative revenue in the sector is estimated at N6.2 billion and approximately 10,100 jobs created.
He also mentioned that Nigeria has been admitted to the Global Privacy Assembly made up of about 130 countries.
Mr Olatunji added that the week will focus on massive awareness for all data controllers and processors to register with the NDPC as enshrined in the NDPA.
The commissioner said that everybody has the responsibility of data protection, adding that the activities of dark web barons and criminal exploiters of personal data should not be allowed to thrive.
He warned that failure to obey the law will attract penalties, adding that no organisation in the public and the private sector will be allowed to treat Nigerians as second-class citizens when it comes to respect for the data privacy of citizens.
He said it would be in the collective interest to work together to secure Nigeria’s present and future in the frontiers of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
