The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) recently participated in the GINGER Research Output Dissemination Event. The event was organised by the Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API), in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as part of the Governance and Innovation Network for Generating Enhanced Regulations (GINGER) project.
The NDPC was represented at the event by an officer from the Legal, Enforcement, and Regulation Department of the Commission, Ms Ibukunoluwa Owa. The event shared findings from the GINGER Project, which tested a proposed government policy using randomised controlled trials to examine public reaction to new policies and the underlying causes of implementation challenges.
The National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill served as the case study. Key results from the findings revealed low stakeholder awareness; technical and financial challenges of compliance; lack of trust; digital illiteracy; and inadequate infrastructure as barriers to effective implementation of laws/policies.
Ms Owa commended API’s work, acknowledged the issues raised, and affirmed NDPC’s ongoing efforts to tackle them. She also contributed to a panel discussion, highlighting measures the Government can implement to build public trust and ensure effective implementation of laws, such as principle- and risk-based interpretation of laws; proactive regulatory engagement; inter-agency collaboration; legal transparency; effective communication; and redress and enforcement systems – all of which, she noted, are currently being implemented by the Commission.
