Prof. Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has called on the management of the newly established Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) to ensure data protection, privacy and confidentiality in Nigeria.
Pantami made the call at the official inauguration of NDPB Logo, Website and Core values, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the data protection should not only be centered within the public sectors but also cut across the private sectors.
He said that data protection, privacy and confidentiality, were already mentioned in existing laws in various agencies of the country.
According to him, NITDA Act, 2007, under Section 26, provides a form of data protection in which nobody is allowed to get access to NITDA’s database without the approval of the commission.
“In NITDA Act 2007, Section 6 under article J and K, there is a form of data protection under article A to come up with the legislation in the first place.
“It is now in the process of being integrated into a full fledged legislation by the National Assembly.
“Under the Nigerian Communications Commission Act 2003, there was no mention of data protection clearly.
“The commission came up with two subsidiary legislations, in which operators are not allowed to get access or release certain informations without the consent of data subject.
“National Health Act of 2014, there is a form of data protection and many more,” he said.
Earlier in his address, the National Commissioner, NDPB, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said theythat the mandate of data protection had a strategic roadmap that would provide the turning point in Nigeria’s data privacy.
Olatunji, however, urged stakeholders to give the brand the needed support to achieve its mandate.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Mr Adeleke Adewolu, congratulated NDPB and pledged support of the commission.
In Nigeria, data protection is a constitutional right founded in Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
