The African Union – European Union (AU-EU) Digital for Development (D4D) hub and the GIZ Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, have organised data protection training to foster a comprehensive understanding of the principles, regulations and best practices associated with safeguarding sensitive information.
The training organised for data processors, controllers and officers will empower individuals with the knowledge and skills vital to collect, process and store personal and confidential data securely and in compliance with the law.
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Also, by educating data processors, controllers and officers, organisations seek to minimise the risks associated with data breaches, legal violations and reputational damage.
“The training is an important milestone in the introduction of data protection standards in Nigeria,” said Inga Stefanowicz, head of the green and digital economy section, Delegation of EU to Nigeria and ECOWAS.
“The EU has supported the Nigerian efforts in this direction from the outset, especially as the system being introduced is inspired by European laws and standards,” Inga said.
According to her, the EU is pleased to see the Data Protection Act signed into law as one of the first legislative acts by President Tinubu. “In the ever-expanding digital economy, solid data protection rules create a safe and enabling ecosystem.”
The training is tailored to two distinct audiences – Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and management-level staff of Data Protection Processors and Controllers including the private sector, companies, civil society organisations, and government entities.
“The ultimate goal is to instil a culture of data protection and privacy awareness, wherein every member of an organisation contributes to upholding the integrity and security of data while adhering to legal requirements,” said Thuweba Diwani, commission manager, GIZ-DTC Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Data Act was passed a couple of months ago and it is time to be implemented. What this means is that those who are going to enforce the elements of the act will have to be trained on what it is, what it provides and everything else that comes with it,”
“We at GIZ feel that we cannot just train one side, the other side of the equation which is impacted by the Data Protection Act and those who need to comply with the act also need to understand what it is all about.”
According to her, GIZ and other partners will be rolling out training for everyone involved. “We are working on both ends and the important thing is that we all come together and do something,”
Also speaking, Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission said the commission in line with the key pillars of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) aims to develop globally competitive human capital.
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This pool of experts, according to him, is expected to bridge the knowledge gap and deepen data privacy and protection within the ecosystem.
Moritz Zimmermann, project advisor, AU-EU D4Dhub Project, noted that data protection is an indispensable element of human-centred digital transformation.
He stated that the AU-EU D4D hub project is to support African governments in establishing and advancing their national data protection measures as well as embed them in a broader regional and global context.
“We are grateful for the excellent cooperation with Nigerian authorities and EU partners to realize this training, which forms part of a series of interventions to strengthen African citizens’ privacy and enable a thriving data economy.”
