Nigeria has been accredited as a member of the Global Privacy Assembly in recognition of the landmark achievement in data privacy and protection.
The GPA accredits Nigeria during the closed session of the 45th Global Privacy Assembly held in Bermuda from October 15th to 20th, 2023.
The body said it took into account the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, which was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the accreditation.
It added that the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, an independent authority responsible for data protection in the country, was also a crucial factor in assessing Nigeria’s data protection adequacy.
The GPA, established in 1979, serves as an international platform for coordinating global efforts to advance data privacy and protection.
Currently, the assembly consists of 130 Data Protection Authorities from various countries, including Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, and Senegal.
Reacting to the accreditation, the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, expressed optimism regarding the positive outcomes of the Federal Government’s digital transformation initiatives.
He called on stakeholders in the data processing ecosystem to uphold a high standard of care when handling personal data, noting that this would boost trust and confidence in Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy.
