Telecom
NITDA DG Charges Lagos State Ministry of Health on Adoption of NDPR
Mallam Kasihfu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged the Lagos State Ministry of Health to fully adopt the implementation of all provisions in the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) to protect the medical data of the residents of the state.
Abdullahi made the call yesterday in Lagos when he paid a working visit to the state Commissioner of Health, Professor Akinola Abayomi where the issue on Implementation of the NDPR for the Lagos Health Sector was discussed.
Abdullahi commended the Commissioner and his team on the proactive, professional dispositions and approach in which the State handled and disseminated public information during the Corona virus pandemic crisis.
“Beyond any iota of doubt, our recovery as a nation from corona virus cannot be told without special mention of the work you and your team did and are still doing to keep us safe”, the DG averred.
The DG stated that in the 4th Industrial Revolution where big data, artificial intelligence, internet of things and blockchain technology are the key indices and parameters driving economy globally, it is important to review and improve on the credibility of datasets in health care, a sector which is data driven, adding that Medical Informatics and Data are the bedrock of clinical medicine and research.
He further disclosed that the NDPR, a regulation issued by NITDA to protect data privacy and coordinate safe exchange of personal data is built on all the international principles of data protection such as accuracy, limitation of use, security, confidentiality, availability and integrity of data.
According to him, it is a subsidiary law which limits abuse of power by data controllers as data subjects determine how their data should be handled.
The DG stated that the adoption and implementation of the NDPR by the Lagos State Ministry of Health will make every patient in the health care sector trust the privacy and management of their personal information with the state health care sector. This he stated, implies that the sector will have a privacy policy that gives access to the type of personal information being collected, stored and processed by ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability of personal data.
He reiterated that it is imperative to re-orientate health workers in the state on the importance of data privacy and proper disposal of medical wastes to avoid personal sample details being exposed to wrong persons.
He however, noted that the full implementation of the NDPR would cost human, time and material resources but the resultant benefits cannot be overemphasized noting that it is a process that will yield multiple dividends eventually.
He stressed that “by giving an illustration in which a recent study showed that about $100 billion would save by adopting internet of things (IoT) in healthcare. When you consider other technology inputs such as telemedicine, genetic research, electronic medical records, it would be obvious that healthcare would be one of the most technology intensive sectors in a few short years.”
Director General, NITDA Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, the Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, management staff of both organisations during a working visit to Lagos State
“By adopting and implementing the NDPR, you have begun the journey to a better and more appropriate use of technology in the healthcare sector. Lagos state would benefit a lot if people understand that the state health sector values personal data and makes efforts to protect it. This alone, would boost health tourism and improve the quality of care in the state”, the DG concluded.
Professor Abayomi while thanking the DG and his team for visiting the Ministry expressed confidence that the privacy of sensitive data in Nigeria which is under the supervision of NITDA is in excellent hands.
The Commissioner said that the State Ministry of Health, as custodian of the Lagos State Smart Health Information Platform, has ensured that their clients and partners are NDPR compliant in order to deliver an excellent and transparent service.
“We will continue to work very hard with NITDA to stick with the guidelines which have been propagated by the Agency”, the Commissioner said.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a 90-day compliance window to telecommunications operators to resolve the long-standing issue of unutilised and unclaimed subscribers’ recharges.
This announcement was made at a high-level virtual stakeholders’ engagement forum held on Tuesday, targeted at refining and enforcing new guidelines that protect consumer rights in Nigeria’s evolving telecom landscape.
Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, whose speech was delivered at the forum by Rimini Makama, executive commissioner, Stakeholder Management, emphasised that the Commission was taking proactive steps to address unused prepaid credit on inactive lines, an issue that impacts millions of subscribers nationwide.
“With the rapid growth of mobile subscriptions and the dominance of prepaid plans, it has become critical to ensure that consumer interests are not eroded through forfeiture of unused credit,” the NCC Boss said.
He stressed the commitment of the Commission to creating a regulatory framework that is fair, enforceable, and aligned with international best practices.
The current Quality of Service Business Rules provide that prepaid lines with no revenue-generating activity for six months be deactivated, and may be recycled after another six months.
The proposed guidance reaffirms the right of subscribers to reclaim their unused credit within 12 months, provided they can verify ownership.
In her remarks, Mrs. Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, presented the Draft Guidance on Unutilised and Unclaimed Recharges, which outlines clear procedures for managing inactive subscriber accounts.
She stated that operators will be required to carry out comprehensive audits of all churned numbers, ensure unused airtime is offered back to subscribers through service alternatives, and strictly avoid monetising forfeited recharges.
Whyte explained that these guidelines are not only aimed at protecting consumers, but also offering regulatory clarity to operators.
She added that the Commission is mandating full compliance within 90 days of the issuance of the final guidance, with non-compliance attracting penalties, including regulatory audits.
The forum attracted wide participation from across the industry, with discussions centred on striking a balance between protecting consumer rights and maintaining operational feasibility.
Participants agreed on the need for greater transparency, stronger consumer education, and consistent notification practices.
The NCC reiterated its commitment to fostering a fair, transparent, and consumer-first regulatory environment.
The 90-day deadline signals a new era of accountability in how telecom operators manage subscriber credits and reinforces the Commission’s role as a guardian of consumer trust in the digital age.
MTN Foundation has opened applications for its 2025 scholarship programme, reaffirming its dedication to strengthening the development of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), encouraging excellence in academic pursuit, deepening diversity and inclusion by empowering blind students in Nigeria.
The programme provides three categories of scholarships annually: the Science and Technology Scholarship (MTN STS), the MTN Scholarship for Blind Students (MTN SBS), and the Top 10 UTME Scholarship.
The STS is open to all 300-level Science and Technology students with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.5 (Second Class Upper or its equivalent); SBS caters to the educational needs of blind students in 200-level with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 or its equivalent.
The top 10 scoring candidates of the UTME, as announced by JAMB, automatically qualify for the MTN Foundation Top 10 UTME scholarship.
As part of its ongoing investment in education, the MTN Foundation has awarded 14,728 scholarships in the past 15 years, worth over NGN3 billion.
The scholars are provided platforms to acquire relevant skills and practical knowledge to thrive in today’s evolving job market.
Speaking on the impact of the scholarship program, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, said: “Education is the backbone of national development, and at MTN Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that no bright mind is left behind due to financial constraints.
“This scholarship is not just about funding education; it is about investing in Nigeria’s future leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers.”
Since 2024, the MTN Foundation has increased the scholarship award amount from NGN200,000 to NGN300,000 annually for three years until graduation, provided the scholars maintain the minimum grade point requirement.
The scholarship program is richly embedded with Mentorship, Internship and digital certification opportunities.
The application process is straightforward and conducted online, making it accessible for students nationwide.
Eligible candidates are encouraged to visit mtn.ng/scholarships/ and apply before the application deadline on April 25, 2025.
For more information, visit mtn.ng/foundation.
The second edition of Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON 2.0) is gathering momentum as organisers have unveiled a strong line of speakers.
Featuring keynote presentation, fireside chat, panel discussion, networking opportunities, PAFON 2.0 is scheduled to hold this week – Thursday, April 10, 2025 at the Function Room 1, Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Lagos from 9am-12(noon).
The event themed: “Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI”, aims at enabling knowledge sharing on key industry insights, issues, amongst key stakeholders, with the objective of ensuring a collaborative and proactive approach to push for policies that enable growth, tackling/mitigating fraud and limiting occurrences and losses in the payment industry.
Keynote:
Ebehijie Momoh (Mrs), managing director and chief executive officer, AfriGoPay Financial Services Ltd, will deliver the keynote address.
Special Guests:
Uche Uzoebo (Mrs), managing director and chief executive officer, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF) Limited and Mrs. Chika Nwosu, managing director and chief executive officer of PalmPay (Nigeria), are the special guest of honour.
PAFON 2.0 Special Appearances: Olusoji Solomon Adeyemo, Azure Application and AI Specialist, Microsoft UK., Ibirogba Oluwagunwa, chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN), and Olusegun Gabriel Afolabi, co-founder & chief innovations architect, Face Technologies UK Ltd., will make special appearances at the event.
There will be a fireside chat featuring, Chukwuemeka Enoch Mbaebie, the convener, Lagos Blockchain Week, amongst other speakers, with Chidera Amuta, Marketing Manager, Vendocredit, as the host.
According to Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener of Payments Forum Nigeria, “this year’s theme, ‘Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI’, underscores the urgent need to safeguard digital transactions against emerging threats while ensuring seamless financial inclusion and innovation”.
Industry players such as Bankers, Fintech startups, mobile money operators, blockchain experts, Cybersecurity, etc., are among the expected attendees.
PAFON 2.0 participation is free, but pre-registration can be done here or use this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dE3ZHpSZcaZOL14oiI7s6OYbIeRTqNET7oH-NOm83Bc/edit
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