The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the Nigeria Data Protection Bill which will be transmitted to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill through the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau on the 4th of February 2022.
The Bureau was mandated to study, and implement the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and to coordinate the passage of an enabling Act for data protection.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami presented the Bill to the Federal Executive Council which was presided over by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Head, of Legal, Enforcement & Regulations, NDPB, Barr Babatunde Bamigboye.
According to the statement, “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 the 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 fulfil their obligations to data subjects;
“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 National Commissioner and CEO, of NDPB, Dr Vincent Olatunji who accompanied the Minister to the FEC called on all stakeholders to cooperate with the Federal Government in ensuring the sustainability of the abundant opportunities in Nigeria’s digital economy.