NDPC urges Africa-wide data protection, signs MoU with Somalia and launches privacy academy

It’s a busy month for Nigeria and African data protection officials as Nigeria’s capital Abuja hosted an annual conference, which saw various announcements, before focus switched to ID4Africa where Biometric Update is on site covering the event, and where Vincent Olatunji, Nigeria’s top data commissioner, will participate in a panel discussion on data risks and data governance in the digital identity ecosystem.

The Nigerian government has called on Africa’s data protection authorities to prioritize secure data protection, underlining that the continent’s economic prosperity depends on it. “We recognize that data is not merely a digital resource,” said Vice President Kashim Shettima, as reported by Science Nigeria.

“It is a human story told in numbers – the fabric of trust in our economies and the currency of reliability in our institutions,” Shettima continued. “Our ability to share data securely and lawfully will define our capacity to thrive as the African Continental Free Trade Area expands.”

The remarks came in the opening ceremony of the eighth edition of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities’ NADPA – RAPDP Conference and Annual General Meeting. This year’s event focused on the theme ‘Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies.’

At the conference, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, launched the Nigeria Virtual Privacy Academy, which is Africa’s first platform for virtual training in data protection and privacy across both public and private sectors. The minister also announced the establishment of a digital trade desk to promote “Nigeria’s need to export.”

He commented: “To fully harness the benefits of this and other initiatives, we see data as the backbone and digital protection as the shield. As we digitize government services, open up digital trade corridors and advance the need for digital identity, we must ensure that our value chains are secure, fair, and transparent.”

IOM, Somalia and The Gambia visit the NDPC

Vincent Olatunji, Nigeria’s National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to ensure the protection of Nigerians’ personal data.

In a visit to NDPC headquarters in Abuja by the IOM, which was led by Emiola Oke, the National Coordinator on Immigration and Border Governance at the IOM, the delegation introduced its new project “Capacity.”

Capacity aims to enhance identity management, document verification and policy development capabilities whilst promoting “safe, orderly and regular migration,” according to a LinkedIn post by Olatunji. During the visit Olatunji emphasized the importance of understanding and implementing data protection and privacy principles, especially in the immigration sector, which handles large volumes of personal data daily.

Olatunji highlighted the need for organizations involved in such processes to appoint Data Protection Officers (DPOs), and outlined the responsibilities and qualifications needed for the role. He said the NDPC would provide the necessary training to support the country’s data protection framework.

The NDPC also signed an MoU with the Data Protection Authority (DPA) of Somalia aimed at enhancing cross-border collaboration on data protection and privacy enforcement. The MoU outlined key areas of cooperation including mutual legal assistance, information sharing and joint efforts to promote compliance with data protection laws, reports Wearetech.africa.

The MoU signing followed the Conference and Annual General Meeting with the delegations from Somalia and The Gambia remaining in Nigeria to study the NDPC’s operational model and strategic approach.

The NDPC and Microsoft are also collaborating on comprehensive data protection training for staff, with Olatunji receiving a development team from Microsoft led by Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi. The visit was aimed at enhancing the understanding of the data protection and privacy ecosystem among NDPC staff and addressing competency gaps.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric data  |  biometrics  |  data protection  |  Nigeria  |  Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC)