Dr. Vincent Olatunji, DG, NDPC
The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) is now set to deepen its control, management and effective regulation of the nation’s data space considering the readiness of the the NDP Act General Application and Implementation Directive (NDP Act GAID).
Addressing stakeholders in Abuja recently, the National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji made it clear that “Today, we are delighted to have a regulatory instrument in NDP Act GAID which addresses technical and organisational measures in the following arears among others:
- Data Protection Principles,
- Lawful Bases of Data Processing,
- Data Subjects’ Rights,
- Material and Territorial Scope of the NDP Act
- Data Ethics,
- Emerging Technologies,
- NDP Act Compliance Audit Returns,
- Data Privacy Impact Assessment,
- Cross-border Data Transfer,
- Training and Certification of Data Protection Officers,
- Benchmarking with global best practice,
- Cooperation and Collaboration,
- Alternative Dispute Resolution, and
- Standardised Grievances Redress Mechanism.
He averred that In line with Federal Government’s policy on Enabling Business Environment, the full implementation of the NDP Act will commence in September 2025 – that is after 6 months. Furthermore, all provisions relating to fees will commence in January 2026,” saying “Going forward, we shall be providing guidance notices and advisories to illustrate the requirements of law towards deepening the culture of data privacy and protection. We shall also be carrying out various capacity building programmes. In addition, we shall be taking feedbacks through our platforms. This will help the Commission in future reviews of the NDP Act GAID and in the issuance of new regulatory instruments. To this end, we propose to use our best endeavours”.
Continuing, he added that “It is worthy of note that the quest for safeguarding privacy rights in the context of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence received attention in the NDP Act GAID. Practitioners in this space are enjoined to implement privacy by design and by default among other obligations. Furthermore, we have fully democratised privacy breach remediation process for data subjects. We achieved this by introducing data subjects’ Standard Notice to Address Grievance (SNAG) which empowers data subjects to use the instrumentality of the Commission to demand remedial action from data controllers and processors without first writing to the Commission. This process makes over 230 million Nigerians our immediate and direct partners in ensuring adequacy of data protection in Nigeria. Through Automation, the SNAG will be accessible anywhere in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria and around the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, the need to hold data controllers and data processors accountable for their acts and omissions which affects the rights of others cannot be gainsaid. This accountability creates trust for the lawful use of data towards achieving sustainable development.
According to him, “he Commission is absolutely committed to this objective of the NDP Act. Our open-door policy ensures that all stakeholders are given equal and equitable opportunity in a manner that respects the rights of individuals and fosters economic growth in Nigeria – for the benefit of all Nigerians. Essential to this economic growth is accountability of players who feel called upon to deal in the personal data of citizens in a manner that may appear to go beyond the confines of the law.
Dr. Olatunji made it clear that “Be that as it may, we are delighted to note that our remedial engagements with Nigerian organisations are yielding positive results gradually. With the issuance of the NDP Act GAID, no organisation can feign ignorance of its obligations under the law.
“The Commission expresses its most profound gratitude for the invaluable support it has been receiving in order to deliver on its mandate. First, to the Federal Government under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The Hon. Minister of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, members and the secretariat of the NDP Act GAID Committee and, indeed, all our partners within and outside Nigeria.
