Categories: Technology

Data protection Bureau to create 500,000 jobs in Nigeria

The National Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), has said it would create at least 500,000 jobs from its planned initiative of licensing and indigenous institutions.

The bureau said this was to train and certify data privacy and protection experts in the country.

The National Commissioner of the NDPB, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said this at the first year anniversary and the launch of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulations Report (NDPR), in Abuja.

Olatunji said the bureau had recorded modest progress and had initiated a plan to create at least 500,000 career jobs for the Nigerian labour market.

“We have initiated a comprehensive process for training and certification of data privacy as well as protection experts in Nigeria.

“This training and certification are expected to create career opportunities for at least 500,000 persons in the labour market.

“There is the need for NDPB to licence an indigenous institution to coordinate the development of training materials and certify training providers based on internationally acceptable standards.

“Conduct examinations, provide certification to successful candidates, conduct research to deepen the knowledge domain and maintain a database of certified persons and others,” he said.

Olatunji said that the bureau had recorded modest progress in strategic roadmap and action plan, capacity building, awareness and institutional collaborations.

Others, he said, were data protection compliance organisations with National Data Protection Adequacy Programme (NaDPAP) and Data Protection Certification, accordingly.

He listed some of the impact the bureau has had on the nation’s economy to include creation of 9,577 jobs, 1928 verified Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and 138 Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs).

According to the report, these achievements were recorded within a period of two years (2020-2022).

Olatunji said, “In the report, the bureau hopes to achieve eight objectives this 2023 and beyond that include increased awareness, enactment of the data protection bill, transition to commission and others.”

The NDPB used the occasion to recognise institutions that had been supportive and awarded them institutional support awards.

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