NITDA unveils complaint booklet for data protection

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has launched the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) compliant visitors’ book  in Abuja late last week.

The book launch is the first time an agency of government in Nigeria is implementing a major aspect of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR provision.

Launching the booklet, the Director-General of the Agency, Kashifu Inuwa, explained that the Data Services Protection Limited (DSPL) patented visitors’ book was selected among the most innovative NDPR product at 2021 Privacy Week organised by NITDA. The visitors’ book pages are duplicates and works by making personal data details on the visitors’ book invisible on the first page, while capturing the data on the duplicate page.

According to him, the visitors’ book is cheap in comparison with the expensive digital visitors’ management solutions.

He, however, noted that the visitors’ book is an addition to the processes of computing the visitors’ data electronically.

According to Inuwa: “NITDA is statutorily mandated by the NITDA Act of 2007 to inter alia; develop regulations for electronic governance and monitor the use of electronic data interchange and other forms of electronic communication transactions as an alternative to paper-based methods in government, commerce, education, the private and public sectors, labour and other fields, where the use of electronic communication may improve the exchange of data and information.”

He added: “recognising that many public and private bodies have migrated their respective businesses and other information systems online, information solutions in both the private and public sectors now drive service delivery in the country through digital systems. These information systems have thus become critical information infrastructure that must be safeguarded, regulated and protected against atrocious breaches.

“Data protection applies to all transactions intended for the processing of Personal Data, notwithstanding how the data processing is being conducted or intended to be conducted in respect of natural persons in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, some organisations in Nigeria were caught scrambling to comply with the NDPR when it was launched in 2019.

“Most organisations, especially Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) are finding it difficult to comply with some of the basic requirements of the regulation due to financial constraints,” he added.

He disclosed that a recent study has revealed that many Nigeria public institutions and small business owners are still confused by the rules around data protection and privacy regulations.

“Disturbingly, out of 30 surveyed, 100 per cent confirmed their paper visitors’ books are not confidential and do not protect the visitors’ personal data. Another 98 per cent admitted they do not dispose of paper visitor books securely and confidentially – leaving the personal data of millions of employees and customers at risk,” he added.

He explained that when putting NDPR procedures in place, it’s very likely that many organisations did so with one big misconception that the new law only affects data collected online.

“The NDPR is technology-agnostic. It applies to all acts of personal data collection and processing, no matter how and where it takes place, visitor data, employee personal data, etc,” he said.