The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has affirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Ondo state government to foster a culture of Data Protection while also generating employment opportunities for youth in the state.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner/CEO of NDPC, made this declaration during a meeting with His Excellency, the Ondo state Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami, held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Dr. Olatunji expressed that the purpose of the visit was to explore potential areas of partnership between NDPC and the state aimed at promoting development for the people of Ondo State.
“Our government is passionate about youth development and one of the ways to ensure our youths are gainfully employed is to equip them with the right skills, needed for 21st century workplace. In view of this, we have identified ICT as one key area to upskill our youths and expand their capabilities so as to be globally competitive.
“My visit here today is to meet with the team at NDPC to establish a partnership that will enable us train thousands of young graduates in Ondo state as data protection officers, realizing the enormous opportunity in this field,” he said.
Dr. Olatunji lauded the Ondo government’s initiative to harness the potential of data protection in empowering its youth. However, he lamented the shortage of data protection officers in Nigeria, highlighting that out of 500,000 available positions, only 10,000 are presently occupied. He praised the Deputy Governor for his grasp of the significance of data protection.
“Unauthorised access to data will lead to breaches, and breaches will lead to lots of implications, such as reputational damage, financial loss and in extreme cases, death,” he stated.
Dr. Olatunji recognized the dedication of the Ondo state government in tackling this challenge and acknowledged its capacity to bolster trust and confidence in governance. He enthusiastically embraced the suggested partnership, affirming the Commission’s eagerness to collaborate with the Ondo state government to cultivate a culture of Data Protection, bolster capacity, and foster employment opportunities within the state.
“Jobs will be available for the youths of Ondo state when they are trained and certified as Data Protection Officers, which will also give room for global competition,” he said.
The collaboration between NDPC and the Ondo state government marks a crucial stride towards leveraging data protection for youth development and governance improvement, thereby playing a pivotal role in advancing the prosperity and advancement of Ondo state and Nigeria at large.
