The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has forged two significant Memoranda of Understanding with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), marking a pivotal step towards enhancing data protection initiatives across diverse sectors.
At the signing ceremony held at the respective headquarters of SMEDAN and NLRC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner/CEO of NDPC, represented NDPC, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, the Director General of NLRC, represented NLRC, and Mr. Charles Odii, the DG of SMEDAN, represented SMEDAN.
The collaboration with SMEDAN is geared towards advancing data protection within Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprise ecosystem, which comprises approximately 40 million SMEs.
Under the MoU, a comprehensive framework for cooperation is established, including the establishment of a working group tasked with enhancing capacity building in data protection. The primary objective is to educate SMEs on the adoption of suitable technical and organizational measures to ensure the privacy and security of data.
Dr. Olatunji expressed optimism regarding the execution of the memoranda with these strategic agencies, emphasizing that the responsible handling of data will underpin short, medium, and long-term growth while ensuring stakeholders’ trust.
“You have almost 40 million players within this sector alone, imagine the exponential growth we can bring in if people can carry out transactions on the basis of trust and confidence. It is good that we are here today, to put pen into paper, we have to work together to ensure that there is privacy in what you are doing in the sector,” he said.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NLRC and NDPC strengthens the collaboration between the two Commissions. Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, the Director-General of NLRC, expressed appreciation for NDPC’s consistent support and emphasized the crucial task of safeguarding personal data within the gaming ecosystem. The MoU formalizes the commitment to uphold data protection laws and implement best practices in data storage and processing.
Dr. Olatunji highlighted the significance of this partnership, underlining the necessity to protect the personal data of approximately 60 million data subjects within the gaming sector. He emphasized the importance of providing training to NLRC staff and stakeholders on data protection principles to instill a culture of compliance.
He said, “We are looking at an ecosystem with about 60 million people who regularly exchange and process data, this is one sector that cannot be overlooked. SMEDAN has 40 million Nigerians monitored under them, we have almost half of the population.”
“When we talk about the interests and freedom of all Nigerians, we have to ensure that the personal data of over 220 million people are adequately protected and processed in line with extant regulatory framework, ” he added.
The DG, NLRC, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila expressed appreciation to the NDPC for their ongoing work.
“The change that the establishment of NDPC has brought to the gaming value chain is commendable, we are not taking this MoU for granted. International partners come here to see what we do and make comments that are welcoming to show that we are on the right part which is acceptable to the industry for operations to come in.
“We would also like to collaborate with you in conducting joint awareness campaigns and capacity building on data governance.
Mr. Charles Odii, the Director-General of SMEDAN, expressed gratitude for NDPC’s willingness to collaborate. He underscored the importance of prioritizing data protection and adhering to the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, especially in the context of preparing for international business engagements.
“SMEDAN is out to prevent exposure of our data for selfish and malicious operations. We have to show that the data we are mining in Nigeria is protected according to our data protection law,” he stated.
“We cannot be a development agency if we are not teaching small businesses the right thing to do. In developing small businesses, we need to upskill and sensitise them. We willl go into the nooks and crannies of Nigeria to make them understand that if you process data then you must abide by the data protection laws in Nigeria,” he added.
These partnerships signify pivotal achievements in NDPC’s endeavor to advance data protection and privacy across various sectors in Nigeria. The commission maintains its dedication to cultivating alliances that safeguard individuals’ rights and guarantee the conscientious management of personal data.
