National Privacy Week: Over 10,000 jobs created, N400m generated since creation of Data regulatory body
By Blessing Emmanuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has revealed that over 10,000 jobs and N400 million revenue have come into the sector since the creation of a regulatory body.
National Commissioner/CEO, Dr. Vincent O. Olatunji, revealed the achievements of the agency in its efforts towards data privacy and protection at the launch of the 3rd National Data Privacy Week in Abuja.
The NDPC Commissioner relayed that the commission has actively engaged with international bodies, increased compliance measures, and successfully addressed numerous cases of data breaches.
Some of the achieved milestones he listed includes, “The NDPC is actively collaborating with esteemed organisations globally. Partnerships include ongoing discussions with the Committee of Vice Chancellors and National Board for Technical Education, as well as engagements with Data Protection Authorities across Africa and the Federal Trade Commission of the United States. Negotiations for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Information Commissioner’s Office in the United Kingdom are also underway, focusing on knowledge exchange, mutual legal assistance, and intergovernmental information sharing.
“The NDPC has received over 1000 complaints, with 50 verified and 17 major cases under investigation. These cases span diverse sectors such as Finance, Technology, Education, Consulting, Government, Logistics, and Gaming/Lottery. Remedial actions in completed cases have generated over 400 Million Naira in revenue for the government.
“To enhance compliance, the NDPC has increased the number of Data Protection Compliance Organizations from 103 to 163. This has led to a significant rise in annual audit filings, exceeding 2000 per annum. The cumulative revenue in the sector is estimated at 6.2 Billion, with approximately 10,100 jobs created.
“Nigeria has been admitted to the prestigious Global Privacy Assembly, comprising around 130 countries. Additionally, the country is an active member of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA). This international recognition highlights the NDPC’s significant strides in the data protection ecosystem.
“The NDPC plans to intensify awareness campaigns, urging all data controllers and processors to register with the Commission, in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act. Failure to comply will be treated as a breach under the law.
“In celebration of National Privacy Week, the NDPC has organized various events, including a capacity-building program, a policy dialogue, a privacy hackathon finale, Adopt-a-School sensitization events, and the 2nd-year Anniversary/Award Dinner.”
Dr. Vincent O. Olatunji also emphasised the purpose of these efforts, noting that the NDPC aims to ensure compliance with data protection laws, preventing criminal exploitation of personal data and safeguarding Nigeria’s present and future in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The comprehensive progress report and future plans will be detailed in the Nigeria Annual Data Protection Report, set to be released during the Annual Anniversary and Award Ceremony on February 4, 2024, Olatunji revealed.
