Some Data Protection Officers (DPOs) have advocated a single regulatory body for Data Protection Acts, to sustain the already established confidence by investors in the country.

Participant and facilitators at a three- day workshop organised by Data and Knowledge Information Academy for Data Protection Officers in Lagos

The DPOs spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday, on the sidelines of the 2nd edition of a training workshop for DPOs.

They spoke against the backdrop of Lagos state proposing a Data Protection Bill, which is in its second reading at the State Assembly.

NAN reports that the three-day workshop, which is from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17, is organised by the Data and Knowledge Information Academy (DKIA), a subsidiary of Data & Knowledge Information Privacy Protection Initiative (DKIPPI).

NAN also report that the workshop is to prepare non-certified Data Protection Officers (DPO) for Nigeria Data Protection Certification Examination by Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

Highlighting the benefits, the President of DKIPPI, Mr Tokunbo Smith, said that a single regulatory body, which is the NDPC for data protection acts rather than separate regulatory bodies, would streamline processes, reduce confusion and make it easier for businesses to operate.

Smith said that this would also help to protect data subject rights and maintain the principle of data protection.

He said that having a single regulator would also help to avoid legal issues and confusion around who collects what and when.

According to him, this approach will be similar to how the European Commission maintains one law regulating all European countries, and how China and South Africa have one regulator.

“This would help to create a more business friendly environment and attract investors, as they would only have to deal with one regulator.

“Also, when you look at it from the organisational aspect, most organisations are struggling, the economy is not good.

“This means we are creating a hostile environment for investors, because when investors come in, they are going to talk about their personal data and data subject as well,” he said.

According to Smith, if Europe cannot guarantee the personal data of a data subject from abroad, the country will lose investors.

Smith, also a Data Controller, said: “The best thing is for the one single regulator.

“They can have branches, regional branches, or state branches, that will now control the difference the states”.

Also, the Head, Research and Strategy, Nigeria Council of Real Estate Insurance Workers, Mrs Fadheelah Salam, affirmed that there should be a single regulatory body for data protection law.

Salam said that having different or states regulatory body would jeopardise the purpose of the one 18 months data protection law.

She said that not only would it erode inter and intra trade, but also promote underdevelopment of some state because some would eventually not implement the law.

According to her, NCDC is supposed to be the overall body that monitors all the states’ compliance to the NCDC Act, it can only have branch offices in each state for them to monitor implementation, advocacy and awareness.

Another participant of the training from Industrial General Insurance, Mr Sheriff Adeyeye, also advocated a single regulatory body for the NDPC acts, just as it is inheritance banking and insurance sector.

Adeyeye said that NDPC should be like the Central Bank of Nigeria, NDIC, that have branches in every state but have only one regulator because it is easier to monitor people’s activities that way.

“Take for instance, someone from Central Bank in another state could come to Lagos state to audit the banks because it is heading towards one direction, one goal which is easier.

“In this case, if there should be different regulators in each state, apparently there will be diversion from the main goal of the regulator and be uses as internally generated revenue by different states”.

Another participant from the Institute of Directors, Chucks Ezinmadu, said that there should be one regulator, simply because it is easier to manage and implement.

According to Ezinmadu, there is a reason the European Commission has one law regulating all the European countries, 26 countries countries coming together to adopt the General Data Protection Regulation.

He said same thing could be replicated in Nigeria to avoid some legal tussles within the state and Federal, as to who collects what and when.

AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, today launches AVEVA World 2024 in Paris’ Palais des Congrès. The annual flagship software conference brings together leading industrial companies from across the globe to explore how to generate impact with cutting-edge technology. Executives from key industrial verticals including Power, Chemicals, Minerals and Food & Beverage, will be present.

All with the shared aim of better utilising advanced software to drive stronger business and sustainability outcomes.

During the AVEVA World 2024 press conference, AVEVA‘s CEO, Caspar Herzberg, announced new strategic partnerships with Vulcan Energy Resources (VER) and Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC).

Vulcan Energy Resources (VER) is committed to become the world’s first lithium company with a carbon neutral footprint through a ground-breaking lithium technology. AVEVA’s new partnership with Vulcan will focus on the Vulcan Energy Resources €1.5billion engineering project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley – with AVEVA providing the digital backbone for the project.

This collaboration supports both companies’ commitment to driving digital transformation and sustainability throughout the lifecycle of industrial assets.

VER aims at decarbonising lithium production by developing the world’s first dual lithium chemicals and renewable energy business with net zero greenhouse gas emissions. CONNECT, will be used to enhance collaboration and foster digital agility across the different project phases and industrial assets.

VER will gain access to a comprehensive suite of software solutions tailored to Phase One and future phases. Core components, such as AVEVA’s Contract Risk Management (CRM) and AVEVA Asset Information Management (AIM), as well as AVEVA’s cutting-edge digital twin and Assai’s Document Control and Management system, will enable secure data sharing among multiple stakeholders including contractors.

“This collaboration supports our commitment to driving digital transformation and sustainability throughout the lifecycle of industrial assets. By collaborating with AVEVA, Vulcan can harness the full power of CONNECT to ease collaboration and accelerate the software underpinning their ground-breaking lithium technology.” comments Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA.

Cris Moreno, CEO of Vulcan Energy Resources, said: “This MoU marks the beginning of a promising long-term collaboration between Vulcan and AVEVA.

“We are delighted to have AVEVA as a key partner in delivering world-leading digital solutions for Phase One of our integrated renewable energy and ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ Project ecosystem and beyond.”

AVEVA’s new partnership with Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) seeks to develop an application of quantum computing in the industrial sector. While still in its infancy, quantum computing is expected to help customers save time and money, as well as reducing power consumption. By partnering with OQC, AVEVA is bringing the power and capability of quantum compute to its customers, enabling them to unlock its potential to solve new and previously thought impossible problems.

Quantum compute is anticipated to deliver an exponential speed-up over classical techniques, as well as generate cost and power consumption reductions: including AI large language models and big data.

When announcing the technology partnership with OQC, a global leader in quantum computing-as-a-service, Caspar Herzberg declared:

“We often hear “Time is Money” but today, there’s a new paradigm: Time is sustainability! The climate crisis is urging industries to accelerate their journey to net-zero. The faster we innovate for a better world, the better.

“Quantum Computing is a game changer in terms of speed, efficiency, and precision. I’m convinced that quantum technology will unlock faster and more sustainable innovation in industries.”

“Quantum computing is set to revolutionise every sector with faster and more nuanced information processing. Through OQC’s capabilities, quantum is now a tangible, accessible asset for businesses like AVEVA to utilise for experimentation. We look forward to unlocking its potential for their customers” added Gerald Mullally, CEO, Oxford Quantum Circuits.

MTN Nigeria, leading telecommunications provider has officially launched the first 5G Experience Centre in Abuja, on Wednesday, 16th October, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s commitment towards advancing connectivity in Nigeria.

L-R: ThankGod Otorkpa, General Manager, Regional Operations (North), MTN Nigeria, Shoyinka Shodunke, Chief Information Officer, MTN Nigeria; Engineer Joseph Emeshili, Head, Spectrum Planning, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations Officer (CCRO), MTN Nigeria; Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer (CCSSO) MTN Nigeria; and Osaze Ebueku, Senior Manager, Sponsorships and Promotions, MTN Nigeria during the launch of MTN 5G Experience Center in Abuja.

The state-of-the-art centre is designed to showcase the capabilities of 5G technology, empowering customers, businesses, and innovators to explore its potential.

The launch event, graced by industry stakeholders including representatives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and tech enthusiasts such as Fisayo Fosudo and Izzi Boye, highlighted MTN’s commitment to delivering world-class telecommunications services that enhance the lives of its customers.

Offering attendees and visitors the opportunity to interact with cutting-edge technology, the 5G Experience Centre includes virtual reality, augmented reality, and ultra-high-definition streaming applications, as well as a digital customer service point.

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Customer Relations Officer, Ugonwa Nwoye, said “Today, we are proud to unveil the MTN 5G Experience Centre, a hub for innovation and a testament to our dedication to bringing the best of technology as close as possible to our customers.”

“At MTN, technology is not just about selling data but empowering our customers with the right technological resources to reach their highest potential.”

Going further, she said, “At MTN, our ability to bring the best to our customers is our pride from being the first to launch 5G in West Africa, to powering faster internet speeds; our connectivity has the potential to revolutionise various sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture.

“We believe this centre will inspire creativity and drive the adoption of digital solutions across the country.”

Engineer Joseph Emeshili, Head, Spectrum Planning, Nigerian Communications Commission, speaking on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, commended MTN on the launch.

He said, “The NCC commends MTN Nigeria for its efforts to promote the development of emerging technologies and to enable its customers to tap into this great experience and full potential of 5G.

“This move is encouraging and needs all hands-on deck to ensure the effectiveness of emerging technologies and the Nigerian tech ecosystem.”

Expressing his excitement for the launch, the Chief Information Officer, MTN Nigeria, Shoyinka Shodunke, said, “For us at MTN, the unveiling of the 5G Experience Centre is beyond the launch we have today.

“It is an experience we’re inviting everybody to be a part of to see the possibilities of 5G.

“What you see here today are dreams of our customers we’ve turned into realities and possibilities.

“We take these dreams, co-create and turn them into fantastic experiences for our customers businesses and pleasure.”

“We don’t develop viable products using the old methodology but encourage our target audience to share their ideas, sit together and create their ideas into tangible versions we can touch and feel.

“To this end, I encourage everyone to be a part of this journey and enjoy it to the fullest,” he added.

In addition to the experience centre, MTN is committed to expanding its 5G network across Nigeria, ensuring more communities have access to this game-changing technology.

The company plans to roll out additional centres in key cities, further promoting digital literacy and innovation.

“As we embark on this new era of connectivity, we invite all Nigerians to explore the endless possibilities that 5G offers,” added Ugonwa Nwoye. “Together, we can create a more connected, informed, and prosperous nation.”

The MTN 5G Experience Centre is now open to the public, and visitors are encouraged to book appointments for personalised tours and demonstrations.