Director -general National Information Technology Development Agency Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has said Nigerian Data Protection Regulations (NDPR) was to safeguard the right of natural persons to data privacy.
Abdullahi revealed this while delivering the keynote address at the 6th annual conference of Institute Internal Auditors of Nigeria (IIAN) with the theme: “Agility and Resilience” held via zoom.
The conference is aimed at preparing participants across Internal Audits, Internal Controls, risk management, revenue and government assurance and other business professionals to learn how to leverage on new technologies and procedures towards actualisation of the organisation’s goals and objectives.
NITDA DG who was represented by director e-Government Development and Regulations Dr Vincent Olatunji stated that since inception of the Agency in 2001, it has been playing roles to spur the infusion of technology into nation’s work processes.
He said, “The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) is also to foster safe conduct for transactions involving the exchange of personal data, enablement of Nigerian businesses to be globally compliant and competitive and to create jobs for Nigerians
He said the implementation of the NDPR which was issued on 25th January, 2020, has been innovative and impact oriented. “For the first time in data protection implementation, auditors became recognised as Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCO).”
He stated that NITDA has 72 licensed DPCOs among which are members of this “august body,” “this posture is not as a result of lack of professionals in the IT industry, rather, we have made conscious efforts to carry every relevant stakeholder along in our developmental regulatory strategy. I hope this noble institute would repay NITDA’s generosity by imbibing ethical and professional principles on your members for better implementation of the regulation.”
Earlier in his remarks, managing director New Capital Cooperatives Society Mr Benedict Anyalenka while commending the organisers of the conference affirmed that data privacy and protection should be a requisite skill needed for development of the Information Technology sector as it would create platform for protection of information against unauthorized usage.
Anyalenka, however, called for proper awareness on the importance of data privacy among organisations and stakeholders across the country to safeguard citizens’ data.
