States risk losing investors over weak data protection — NDPC

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The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, said effective protection of personal data could improve the credibility of states, strengthen public trust and make them more attractive to foreign investors.

He spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at a data privacy implementation workshop for state governments organised by the NDPC in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Olatunji said the growing movement of personal and commercial information across borders had made data protection an important consideration for businesses seeking to invest or enter partnerships.

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He said, “A lot of countries that don’t have your data protection law, no party is ready to do business with you. Because if there’s possible to transfer data, how are they going to ensure that data is in Nigeria?”

According to him, effective implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act at the state level would strengthen credibility, public confidence and investment prospects.

“It builds trust and confidence that, yes, what we are doing with these states, we are secure, we are safe,” Olatunji said, adding that stronger compliance could boost foreign direct investment by assuring investors that their information would be protected.

He explained that states are major data controllers because their ministries, departments and agencies collect large volumes of information in providing public services and employing workers.

Olatunji urged state governments to move beyond discussions and establish frameworks, policies and institutional structures for implementing the national law rather than enact separate state data protection laws.

“We want to see action at the state level in terms of compliance,” he said.

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria

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