The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the Nigeria Data Protection Bill for transmission to the National Assembly.
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo presided over the FEC meeting according to a statement by the head, legal, enforcement & regulations, of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Barr. Babatunde Bamigboye, on Thursday in Abuja
TheFact Daily recalled that on the 4th of February 2022,President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau( NDPB).
According to the statement, ”The Bureau was mandated to, inter alia, implement the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and to coordinate the passage of an enabling Act for data protection.
“The pioneer Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami presented the Bill to the Federal Executive Council.
“The central objective of the Bill is to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms, and the interests of data subjects, as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, by providing for the regulation of processing of personal data.Promoting data processing practices that safeguard the security of personal data and privacy of data subjects. Ensuring that personal data is processed in a fair, lawful and accountable manner.
“Protecting data subjects’ rights as well as providing means of recourse and remedies in the event of the breaches.Ensuring that data controllers and data processors fulfill their obligations to data subject.
“Establishing an impartial, independent and effective regulatory Commission to superintend over data protection and privacy issues and supervise data controllers and data processors.
“Strengthen the legal foundations of the national digital economy and guarantee the participation of Nigeria in the regional and global economies through the beneficial trusted use of personal data.
The statement further stated that ,the National Commissioner and CEO, NDPB, Dr. Vincent Olatunji who accompanied the Hon. Minister to the FEC calls on all stakeholders to cooperate with the Federal Government in ensuring the sustainability of the abundant opportunities in Nigeria’s digital economy.
“With the full support demonstrated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a clear signal has been sent to the global data processing ecosystem that Nigeria is committed to safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms of Nigerian citizens which may be impacted one way or the other by the activities of data controllers and data processors,” the statement stated.
