The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has constituted a Local Organising Committee comprising representatives of Meta, AWS, and Microsoft, among other tech giants, as Nigeria prepares to host the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA} in Abuja next year.
According to a statement from the Commission, the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, inaugurated the LOC in Abuja on Wednesday.
Other committee members include representatives from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NIPOST, NIGCOMSAT, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NDPC said the World Bank is also represented by the ID4D Project office. At the same time, representatives are also drawn from the Digital Transformation Center, European Union, Management Edge, ISACA, MasterCard, and Office of Data Protection Commissioner, Kenya, among others.
Economic boost
Speaking during the inauguration of the LOC, Olatunji described the conference as the largest event in Africa’s data protection and privacy ecosystem, emphasizing its economic benefits to Nigeria as the host.
“This event is not about the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) or the NDPC alone, but about Nigeria. That is why we have selected committee members from diverse sectors.
“It will gather esteemed delegates and participants from across Africa and beyond, including Heads of Data Protection Authorities, data protection experts, multinational corporations, development partners, and foreign investors.
“This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 8th-point agenda in the area of economic growth and job creation,” he said.
Nigeria’s image
Dr Olatunji urged the committee members to work collaboratively and exchange ideas to bring the world to Nigeria and ensure the success of the event. He emphasized that the conference will be a crucial platform to showcase Nigeria as a peaceful, safe, and attractive investment destination.
“We must highlight Nigeria’s positive image and prove that Nigeria is a good and hospitable country,” he added.
He noted that Nigeria’s hosting of the NADPA conference underscores the NDPC’s traction within a short period of establishment and the nation’s commitment to data protection and digital innovation on the global stage.
He said though Nigeria started later than some in the data protection and privacy ecosystem, it has already made significant strides, even at the global level.
Background
The Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA), established in Ouagadougou in September 2016, consists of 23 Data Protection Authorities and others with observer status from across Africa.
Its primary objective is to provide a platform for exchanges and cooperation among its members while amplifying Africa’s voice in global partnerships.
Nigeria joined the group in 2023 with the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu in June last year.
The Data Protection Act established the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, which is now spearheading data protection regulation in the country.
With the Act coming into force, the NDPC said Nigeria has gained global recognition in data protection.
In terms of economic value, NDPC in June this year disclosed that the the data protection ecosystem was worth over N10 billion now.
Earlier this year, the NDPC disclosed in its annual report that the country’s data protection industry created a total of 10,123 jobs for Nigerians in 2023.
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