The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, held a virtual meeting with the Trade Commissioner for Nigeria at Business Sweden, Ms Marlena Batist, on bilateral cooperation between the NDPC and Business Sweden.

Dr Olatunji gave a brief overview of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act), as well as the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan of the Commission. He underscored the importance of partnerships in advancing data protection and privacy, noting that Swedish companies operating in Nigeria are obligated to align with the provisions of the NDP Act. He added that the Commission is open to partnership with the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection in the area of knowledge-sharing, cross-border transfer, compliance, enforcement and other areas associated with the ecosystem.

Ms Batist commended Dr Olatunji for his insightful presentation on the NDPC, and spoke on the mandate of Business Sweden, stating that it is saddled with ensuring that Swedish businesses have the right reach in Nigeria. She stated that there are over 40 Swedish businesses in Nigeria that are conversant with the European Union General Data Protection Regulations (EU GDPR), and expressed interest in understanding the NDP Act. The meeting concluded with both organisations agreeing to advance their deliberations by sharing necessary details to decide on next steps.

Both organisations ended the meeting agreeing to share key information required to determine next steps.