The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) says it has begun investigation of corporates for alleged violation of data protection privacy creed of the Bureau.

The National Commissioner/CEO of the Bureau, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, disclosed this at a media parley in Lagos, Monday.

He recalled that the Federal Executive Council had on the 25^th of January 2023 approved the Nigeria Data Protection Bill which will be transmitted to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill.

He said that the Legislature has reiterated its preparedness to pass the Bill into law without delay because of the critical role data protection and management plays in a growing digital economy such as Nigeria’s.

On the issue of violation, he said: “We are investigating over 110 data controllers and data processors for various degrees of data privacy and protection breaches.  The most worrisome are those in the financial and the telecom sectors. Four banks, online lending companies, one telecom company and one gaming company are being investigated.

“The vulnerabilities in these sectors are high partly due to the capabilities of intrusive mobile apps. When you factor in lack of due diligence on the part of data controllers in engaging data processors or vendors who have access to personal data of  customers, what you see in some cases is a pattern  of abuses in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The position of government is that those who deal with data have nothing to fear but the consequences of their acts and omissions which may constitute a civil or a criminal liability. We are particularly glad that the Nigeria Police Force are currently working with us in this regard,” he said.

Olatunji said the Bureau had been up and running to meet the demands of the times especially as Nigeria claws deeper into the digital economy ecosystem where data protection and privacy of data are sacrosanct.

He recounts some landmarks attained by the Bureau: “We have been carrying out strategic awareness campaign across the country. We recalibrated the “Adopt–A-School” Awareness Programme which is now called “Catch – them–Young”. We were able to reach over 3000 students and pupils in about 70 schools with the message of data privacy. You will all agree that in the wake of Covid 19 pandemic and the adoption of online platforms for education, this class of citizens have become vulnerable to diverse abuses in the digital space.”

On the issue of stakeholder engagement for accelerated integration of public sector Data Controllers into Data Privacy and Protection Framework, he said the Bureau had intensified its engagement strategy which had led to active knowledge engagement with the National Assembly, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Health, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force, Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission , among others.

Through these engagements, he recalls,  “we now have 100% increase in the rate of integration of the public sector into Data Privacy and Protection Framework.”

On capacity building and national Certification on Data Privacy and Protection, he projects: “Our target is to create a pool of 250,000 globally competent data privacy and protection experts. We have organized 15 capacity building programmes for members of staff of the Bureau.    We have also trained the following: ICT and Cybersecurity Committee of the Senate, ICT and Cybersecurity Committee of the House of Representatives, Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Television Authority, Voice of Nigeria, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and Designated Data Protection Officers from over 100 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).”