Enhancing data protection compliance in Nigeria

Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NNITDA) has raised concerns about the increasing frequency of data breaches affecting Nigerian citizens, describing the situation as reaching epidemic proportions. In response to this growing threat, the agency introduced the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in January. The NDPR seeks to impose strict privacy and data protection compliance requirements on Nigerian companies. To shed more light on this issue, Olusola Teniola, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, recently appeared on CNBC Africa to discuss privacy and data protection in Nigeria. During the interview, Teniola highlighted several key points regarding data protection in the country. One major challenge is the fact that Nigerian data is often stored in foreign data centers, making it vulnerable to breaches and raising issues of data jurisdiction, sovereignty, and validity. The NDPR aims to address this by increasing oversight and control over the flow of data outside the country. Another key issue raised by Teniola is the lack of transparency in data collection practices among businesses. Consumers are often unaware of what data is being collected, how it is being used, and whether it is being shared with third parties. This lack of transparency poses a significant challenge to data protection efforts in Nigeria. Additionally, the interview touched on the difficulties that authorities face in ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Teniola emphasized the importance of distinguishing between legitimate data usage and fraudulent activities such as identity theft and cybercrime. He pointed out that Nigeria currently lacks a regulatory body specifically focused on addressing data breaches, leaving the country vulnerable to cyber threats. Moreover, Teniola highlighted the skills shortage in Nigeria's cybersecurity sector as a major obstacle to effectively addressing data protection challenges. He emphasized the need for more data scientists and cybersecurity experts to develop and deploy advanced systems capable of preventing and mitigating data breaches. In the face of increasing cyber threats and data breaches, Teniola stressed the importance of investing in both human capacity building and technological solutions to enhance data protection in Nigeria.