The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, received a delegation from the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL), led by Mrs Diana Sang, on a working visit to the Commission.
Mrs Sang commended the progress made by the NDPC since its establishment and stated that the delegation was at the Commission to discuss potential partnerships. She emphasised their role in leading efforts to raise awareness about Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Artificial Intelligence. She also explained that DIAL would require the Commission’s guidance in conducting Data Privacy Impact Assessments (DPIA) for some of their projects in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Dr Olatunji outlined the evolution of the Commission, noting the shift from the responsibilities of data protection and privacy being solely governed by the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation to the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act), signed by President Bola Tinubu in 2023. He pointed out that the establishment of an independent Data Protection Authority has enhanced the global competitiveness of Nigerian businesses.
He further stated that the proposed project from DIAL would serve as a test for the recently released Nigeria Data Protection Act – General Application and Implementation Directive (NDP Act – GAID), particularly with reference to Schedule IV on DPIA of the NDP Act – GAID. This will be used for the evaluation and assessment of solutions being developed by 15 startups for states in Nigeria. He expressed the NDPC’s willingness to collaborate with DIAL and also took the opportunity to inform the delegation about the upcoming Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RAPDP) conference.
