Data privacy awareness, key to tackling internet fraud, cyber insecurity — FG

…As Group, stakeholders harp on digital rights, parenting, data protection

By Ogaga Ariemu

In a world saturated with criminalities, negative vices, the Federal Government has said data privacy, protection awareness for digital technologies users  remain key to tackling pervasive internet fraud, cyber insecurity.

This is coming as a non-governmental organization, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and stakeholders harped on the centrality of digital rights, data protection and digital parenting in modern day society.

Nigerian NewsDirect learnt this during an awareness programme titled: ‘Assessing Digital Rights, Data Protection and Privacy in Nigeria,’ organized by PPDC in conjunction with Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in Abuja on Wednesday.

In his goodwill message, National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Dr. Vincent Olatunji stated that his agency was established by the federal government to address the challenges of data breaches, insecurity in the cyberspace through adequate awareness on digital rights, data protection across the country.

“Now when we go online there is need to ensure that whatever information you put online is being protected.  Your privacy, right and freedom should be protected online. When you tell people to embrace digital technologies you must put in place regulations to protect them. This is why in 2019 the National Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) was established.”

He further stressed that the NDPB will be in the forefront to create awareness on data privacy, freedom and implementation of sanctions on defaulters.

“According to the trend globally, it is important that any country operating in the digital space to have a full fledged agency to regulate the space and implement data privacy, protection. Since we have started with the regulation, we hope to have the law that will make it an act of parliament to adequately protect Nigerians.”

He further emphasised that the establishing regulation of NDPB will regulate the digital space, ensure Nigerians data privacy protection and companies file data privacy compliance reports.

“That is why President, Muhammadu Buhari, based on the advice of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantam, created the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau(NDPB). To ensure that the draft law is pushed for passage in the National Assembly before the end of 2022; to ensure that we regulate what people do online in terms of how do we protect their data privacy, how do we guaranteed users freedom online and companies are expected to file data privacy compliance reports,” he disclosed.

On the issue of loan sharks and individual data breaches, he reiterated that the federal government is colloborating with stakeholders to put a stop to the matter through thorough regulation, law.

“We have actually  started  meeting, but we must  understand that these loan sharks, they target the vulnerable groups in the society.

“So these are the things we are looking at, and with the fact that we need a very firm regulatory instrument to be able to deal with it. That is why we have federal consumer protection commission, we have Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), that is in the area of financial regulation. In the area of technology, we have National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and in the area of the privacy itself we have the NDPB, we have the Nigeria Police Force. So what we are looking at is what type of regulation can we really put in place to address this adequately. On our part we want to thoroughly investigate it and know the best way to address it,” he stated.

Earlier, in her remarks, CEO PPDC, Nkem Ilo, urged federal Government  to collaborate with stakeholders on the creation of awareness on digital rights, data privacy and digital parenting.

Nkem advocated that technology users be conscious of personal data disclosure while online in order to avoid data breaches.

“Now is the time to focus on educating citizens. We have the National Orientation Agency whose purpose is to educate, orient. We need those kinds of agencies to begin to teach us about what we should be aware of when signing documents. What will even constitute a violation of my right to protection, of my right to privacy. What will constitute that and when that has been violated where do I go to?”

She disclosed that federal government should be more proactive in educating children about data privacy, digital rights by infusing it in the school curriculum.

“We need more of government taking onboard that school curriculum, to begin to teach our children just the way our children know offhand that they are going to study maths, that they know they have to pass their English, they also need to be aware of what their online safety is and that is one thing we have also taken onboard,” she advised.

Stakeholders from Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA), Nigeria Immigration Service, Civil society Organisations and others sectors crossed fertilized on the issue of digital parenting, safety and relevant emerging debates on data privacy with the focus of educating Nigerians.