NDPC Sensitises DPOs, DPCOs On Data Protection Act

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC)  has  organised a sensitisation workshop on Data Privacy and Protection for Data Processors and Controllers with a view to strengthen the data world.
The National Commissioner, NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji,  at the event in Lagos, said the workshop was meant to create awareness of the NDPC Act.
Olatunji said the workshop was to sensitise  them on care and accountability to ensure that data collected is protected and secured.
He said the workshop would create awareness for data processors and controllers on the need to build confidence and trust in the Nigerian system.
According to him, building confidence and trust in our system through the proper implementation of the act would also to a large extent attract foreign investments to the country.
“With this law, we have been able to cross that stage and we know that an average investor coming to Nigeria will know that we have a law and we have an independent Data Protection Authority (DPA)”, he said.
He said it was also a major milestone here in the county, especially with the current administration.
According to him, the over 500,000 data processors and controllers in Nigeria need to register with NDPC, which is what the law says.
The commissioner said  Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) should be given six months to acquaint themselves with the provision of the law.
He also explained that that was why the awareness would be repeated in Abuja.
He said very soon, the commission would be seen on a lot of platforms and media house as well as social media to create awareness and for the data processors and controllers to register with the commission.
Olatunji said if the commission could not count the DPOs and DPCOs and did not know them, how could they be regulated.
He said those ones that could be captured within the ecosystem needed to be monitored on what the DPOs and DPCOs were doing and how they processed data.
According to him, from now and December 31, the DPOs and DPCOs are to register with the commission and from January 1 to March 31, 2024, they are to submit their annual audit reports and measures to safeguard database.
Olatunji earlier in his keynote address, highlighted the benefits of the NDPC Act as strengthening data security, building trust and consumers’ confidence.
He also highlighted promoting business competitiveness, aligning with international standard, compliance and accountability, amongst others, as benefits of the NDPC Act.
The commissioner, however, while calling for more DPOs, emphasised that the commission had the ability to create wealth and employment by creating about 500,000 digital jobs.

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