Personal information in Nigeria is now protected by the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023, following its signing into law by President Tinubu. This law establishes a legal framework that safeguards the privacy of Nigerian citizens from inappropriate use or disclosure of personal information.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), announced this at the NDPD Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) validation workshop held in Abuja. In his statement, Olatunji noted that the new legislation would now give effect to the operations of the NDPB and clarify the practice of data protection in Nigeria.
The bipartisan bill was presented for consideration and passage to the Senate and House of Representatives on April 4th, 2023, via a letter from Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari. The legislation has now replaced the NDPB, which was established by the former president in February 2022.
Under this new Act, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission has been established, and it will be led by a National Commissioner with the responsibility of regulating the processing of personal information. The Commission will oversee the implementation of the NDPD Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) and enforce the data protection regime across the country.
