The National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, addressed members of the press during the press conference on the upcoming Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RAPDP) Conference and Annual General Meeting. The briefing was also an opportunity to announce Nigeria’s intention to become an associate member of the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum.
The NADPA-RAPDP Conference and AGM is a self-evident testimony to the trust and confidence Nigeria is increasingly gaining through various initiatives on the protection of data privacy rights, following the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He also noted that the event will give Nigeria the opportunity to showcase the giant strides being recorded in our economy and the richness of our cultural heritage.
Speaking on Nigeria’s membership of the Global CBPR, Dr Olatunji noted that this positions Nigeria more favourably for digital business, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR)’s vision to transform Nigeria into a $3 trillion digital economy in the near future. Nigeria is exploring various cross-border data transfer frameworks, as provided under the NDP Act, for the purposes of safeguarding data subjects’ rights and protecting Nigeria’s data sovereignty.
Joining Dr Olatunji at the press conference was the Acting Head of the United States Mission in Nigeria, Christine Harbaugh. In her goodwill message, Ms Harbaugh described Nigeria’s membership in the CBPR Forum as a significant milestone, signalling to the global community that Nigeria is a safe and attractive destination for business.
