Its Saturday, 28th of January 2023 – Global Data Privacy Day. Nigeria joins the international community in observing the World Data Privacy Day 2023. This day has been set aside globally to recognize, respect and create awareness on the importance, dignity and criticality of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens to the privacy of their personal data.
The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) under the leadership of Dr Vincent Olatunji as its National Commission and CEO, carries the lead torch in pioneering the activities of the Data Privacy Week 2023, which commences with the Data Privacy Day celebration today Saturday, January 28, 2023, via a Press Conference at the Abuja Continental Hotel (Sheraton).
The Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Special Guest of honour flagged off the Nigeria Data Privacy Week 2023, with an address to the Press, Professional Bodies and Stakeholders in the digital economy ecosystem. In his address he affirmed that Nigeria is the first African country to join the developed countries and the international community is celebration the Global Privacy Day, and thus re-echoed the success the ministry, NITDA and NDPB have recorded in advancing the course of Data Privacy and Protection, in line with global best practices. He went further to emphasize the need for a principal law/regulation to regulate data collection and use practices. In his address, he reiterated that without the enabling Data Protection Law in place, it will be difficult to attract the requisite interventions that are of benefit to our country, as even potential investors today seek to confirm the existence of Data Protection Law/Regulations as a prerequisite to invest in the country. “If you don’t have any data protection law in place, they will feel uncomfortable coming to your country and investing because today, data is critical.
“Whenever we engage with potential investors, we try to convince them of the need of coming to Nigeria to invest, and they always ask if we have data protection law, but we have subsidiary law, and many of them do agree with subsidiary law and at the same time, many disagree that subsidiary law is sufficient for them, but in Nigeria is sufficient”, Pantami stated.
In his address, he made it clear that it is in our best interest as global citizens to align with international best practices. He stated, “The law about Data Protection is not in any way to punish our citizens, but rather to create awareness so that we will all be data compliant, that is why it is important, we are urged to comply, and today because of awareness creation, reaching out to other institutions, sanctions and interrogating others, you will discover that the compliance rate is going higher.
In his remarks, the National Commissioner of Nigeria Data Protection Bureau, Dr Vincent Olatunji commended the Minister for the effort he made to ensure that NDPB was established and also for his efforts in ensuring the approval of the Data Protection Bill by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Also at the event were critical stakeholder and premier professional bodies within the Privacy ecosystem, like ISACA, duly represented by the Abuja Chapter President, Mr. Emmanuel Omoke and the Certifications Director, Sir Stephen Alaekwe, among others.
Data Privacy is everybody’s business! Be aware! Be intentional!! Be compliant!!!
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