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.