E-Business
Data Protection is the Nucleus of Digital Economy – DSPL Boss, Balogun
Convener of the Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria (ALDPCON) and CEO of Data Services Protection Limited (DSPL), Mr. Tunde Balogun has described data as the crude oil of the digital economy.
Nigeria’s increasing official interest in data is because government is coming to terms with data as the real asset of the new or digital economy, said Balogun at a recent media interaction during a training session for some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in Oyo State.
According to him the Federal Government in its wisdom, through the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA), issued the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019 as the principal data protection legislation to address concerns around privacy and protection of personal data which also focuses on the grave consequences of leaving personal data processing unregulated.
The NDPR issued by the NITDA on 25 January 2019 pursuant to Section 32 of the NITDA Act 2007 as subsidiary legislation to the NITDA Act 2007 is only a purveyor of the wider sets of data legislations now at the National Assembly expected to guide Nigeria’s data protection journey and march into the digital economy said Balogun whose company is licensed to operate as a Data Protection Organisation (DPCO).
DPCOs are licensed under the NDPR to provide professional data protection services to public and private entities. There about over 70 licensed DPCOs tasked with monitoring compliance to the NDPR.
Balogun, whose company offer data protection tasks for a number of private and public clients including the governments of Plateau and Oyo states, admitted that there is a growing awareness among stakeholders on data as an asset worth a high level of protection.
“The good thing is that some of our people are beginning to understand why data must be protected in all ramifications. Plateau state started this journey last year. Also, a good example is the government of Oyo state where we are currently implementing data protection services for about eight ministries, departments and agencies as part of the first phase of the scheme.
“It is still going to all other ministries but we started with these eight MDAs because they handle more data than most other MDAs and it even goes beyond mere putting facilities in place to enforce compliance with data protection.
“This is where we are shoulder high than other DCOs. Many people think data protection is only about data auditing but it goes beyond that because we provide other deliverables. In our case, we do auditing, we train staffs, organise lectures, we ensure full privacy and arrange workshops to drive home the point,” he explained.
He stated that data collection is the most resourceful enterprise in the world and that most successful companies in the world are not in the Oil & Gas, Banking or insurance but in the collection of data.
He said this was why government is insisting on protection of data of Nigerians in both the public and private sectors of the country.
Balogun said data protection is part of the larger layers of strategies being in place by governments all over the world to checkmate cybercrimes, which he said had attracted the concern of well-meaning human beings. He added that it is a good thing that the government of Nigeria is keying into it since it is a global affair from which the country cannot afford to run away from.
He, therefore, enjoin all public, private sectors of the economy to put steps into place to make sure they protect data in their possession, adding that the government will soon begin enforcement of data protection, which he said would come with heavy penalties.
In response to Nigeria’s epileptic power supply and the need for a cost-effective back-up, TD Africa, the authorised distributor of Mercury Inverters on the continent, is encouraging Nigerians to take control of their power needs with a discounted offer on all Mercury inverters.
This offer will not only reduce overdependence on the exorbitant fuel-powered generating option widely used, but also offer a seamless and uninterrupted power supply while cutting operational cost by more than 50%.
“Mercury Inverters are a game-changer for Nigerians seeking to overcome the challenges of frequent power outages,” said Toyin Adeniji, TD Africa’s Business Manager for Mercury Inverters.
According to her, the inverters exceptional performance, durability, and affordability, makes it a reliable and sustainable solution that can enhance both personal and business productivity.
TD Africa’s move to discount these Inverters will make the product accessible to more Nigerians, providing an affordable and reliable power backup option that promises to improve the overall quality of life for individuals and businesses.
The inverters which come in 10KVA and 7.5KVA with a 120V, also contribute to environmental sustainability by minimizing carbon emissions.
While this discounted offer is for a limited time, how to take advantage of this offer can be obtained at [email protected].
Federal government has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.
As the demand for data management grows throughout Africa, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to train 5,000 Nigerian youths to become data protection specialists.
The agreement is part of the NDPC’s ambition to create 10,123 data management related jobs in Nigeria.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CEO of the NDPC, stressed the growing demand for data protection officers in Nigeria during the signing event.
He stated that there are a large number of data controllers in the country, each of which must have at least one data protection officer.
According to the government, young people can now pursue data management careers and fill expected new roles in the ecosystem.
Olatunji also stated that the NDPC has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.
He stated that the goal of this move is to improve local knowledge while also reducing the foreign exchange expenses connected with international training.
“In addition, the certification provided by our in-country body will carry global recognition, ensuring our professionals are competitive on the international stage,” he explained.
At the end of August, Kaspersky experts discovered a phishing campaign with an unusual attack vector – through an image. This scam targeted organisations in the fields of online retail, distribution, transportation, and logistics. The cyber attackers aimed to steal corporate email credentials from potential victims.
Within the phishing scheme, the cyber attackers send emails in English, allegedly on behalf of a South Korean company. Pretending to be employees of this organisation, the cybercriminals email about sending instructions to their bank for transferring a payment.
They ask potential victims to check the details in the scanned document, which is added to the body of the letter. According to the legend, this must be done quickly in order to receive payment as soon as possible.
“The image in these phishing emails is poorly visible – this is what the attackers are counting on. Even if a person does not expect an email, he may be interested in looking at the details. However, in reality, the image hides a phishing link.
If the users click on the scan, they will be redirected to a fake resource that mimics a file sharing service from Adobe. There, they will be asked to enter the credentials for a corporate email account to gain access to the document.
However, this should never be done, otherwise this information will go to the cybercriminals,” comments Roman Dedenok, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
To avoid becoming a victim of such phishing attacks, Kaspersky recommends that users do not trust emails from unknown mailboxes, especially when it comes to confidential data, financial transactions and suspicious attachments, even if it visually looks like the email came from an organisation with a good reputation.
Kaspersky also recommends that companies install a reliable security solution that will automatically send such emails to spam, such as Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, and also regularly conduct cybersecurity training for employees, teaching them how to recognise social engineering techniques, for example, using the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform.
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