NDPR will Change Nigeria’s Digital Economic Aspirations- NITDA DG

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that the recently released Nigerian Data Protection Regulations (NDPR) will change the digital economic aspirations of Nigeria.

Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general, NITDA, disclosed this during a virtual workshop for data protection officers and focal persons, held on Thursday.

The workshop organized by NITDA was held inorder to provide data protection officers with the requisite knowledge needed for them to continue improving their organisation’s compliance as regards information security and data protection.

Mallam Abdullahi said the recently issued Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) released by Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the then Director General of NITDA, and the current Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has become a game changer for the digital economic aspirations of Nigeria.

According to him, “Data Protection falls under Developmental Regulation – the first pillar of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS: 2019).

“This shows the critical place it holds in our desire for a brand new economic paradigm that works for the innovative and hardworking mass of Nigerians”.

He noted that the workshop was organized as part of the agency’s strategic engagement to deepen the implementation of the NDPR and the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2020 which is currently under consultation.

He called on all Data Protection Officers (DPOs) to share their perspective on the very important jobs that they do, while stressing that they are the true harbingers of data protection compliance.

He urged them to be independent and report directly to the appropriate management level of their organizations in order to ensure effective management of privacy risks.

The DG further implore them to be involved in the management of all issues which relate to the processing of personal data, as well act as a contact point for the supervisory authority.

“We are also making a presentation on the new Data Protection Bill. Our goal is to make you have a grasp of what the Bill entails and how you can start preparing your organization for the coming realities.

“My hope and desire is that you would have been enriched by the session and develop the appetite to continue improving your organisation’s compliance as regards information security and data protection”, Mallam Abdullahi concluded.

Franklin Akinsuyi, co-founder/executive director, Data Protection and Privacy (D.A.P.T), who spoke on “Understanding Your Role As a Data Protection Officer” urged all DPO’s to Promote a culture of data protection within your organisations and help to implement essential elements of the NDPR, such as the principles of data processing, data subjects’ rights, records of processing activities, security of processing, and notification and communication of data breaches.

He advised them to ensure that their organizations regularly carry out a data protection impact assessment (“DPIA”), what methodology to follow when carrying out a DPIA, Whether to carry out the DPIA in house or outsource it.

He emphasized that DPO’s most show some level of expertise and professionalism, noting that it is essential for them to understand how to build, implement, & manage data protection programs.

“The more complex or high risk the data processing activities are, the greater the expertise the DPO will need.

“They must have in depth knowledge of the NDPR. DPOs must also have a reasonable understanding of the organization’s technical and organizational structure and be familiar with information technologies and data security.|”

Akinsuyi revealed that every data controller shall designate a Data Protection Officer for the purpose of ensuring adherence to this Regulation, relevant data privacy instruments and data protection directives of the Data Controller; provided that a Data Controller may outsource data protection to a verifiably competent firm or person.

Also speaking, Olufemi Daniel, lead NDPR Desk, NITDA, said that the Data Protection Bill 2020 is meant to ensure the right of individuals to control their personal information, is maintained, even after such is disclosed to others.

“Data privacy relates to the legal right and responsibilities related to ensuring personal information autonomy of a data subject.

“Data Protection on the other hand includes all the processes, technologies and systems needed to ensure the right to data privacy is assured.

“Information security includes all actions, activites and processes leading to confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience of all information assets – whether personal, business or national”, Daniel added.