President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Data Protection Bill with the potential of creating 500,000 jobs through the training of data protection officers and licensing of data protection compliance organization.
The bill now an Act, was introduced to the Senate and the House of Representatives for consideration in April 2023, through a letter issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The new law will pave way for the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission replacing the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) birthed by Buhari.
At a workshop in Abuja, the National Commissioner of NDPB, Dr Vincent Olatunji, described the latest development as a giant leap forward in the global data race.
He expressed the hope that it will foster the development of personal data protection technologies in accordance with international best practices.
Olatunji noted that the assent to the bill by the President is in line with his campaign promise to create one million jobs.
“About 500,000 jobs will be created through the training of data protection officers and licensing of data protection compliance organization to offer services to data controllers and processors.
“Nigeria has taken a giant leap forward in the global data race with the assent to Nigeria Data Protection Act by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Act was signed on the 12th of June 2023,” Persecondnews quotes him as saying.
“The NDPB, pursuant to the express provisions of the new act, has transmuted into a full-fledged commission and it is mandated to among others”
It will regulate the deployment of technological and organisational measures to enhance personal data protection
Others are: “Foster the development of personal data protection technologies, in accordance with recognised international best practices and applicable international law; conduct investigations into any violation of a requirement under the Act.
“Impose penalties in respect of any violation of the provisions of the Act or subsidiary legislation made thereof; where necessary, accredit, license, and register suitable persons to provide data protection compliance services;
“Issue regulations, rules, directives and guidance under the Act; and register data controllers and data processors of major importance.”
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