The Federal Government and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have called on state governments to urgently strengthen implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, warning that failure to protect citizens’ personal information could erode public trust and undermine digital transformation.
The call was made at an implementation workshop on the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act) and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), organised by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in partnership with the NGF for state governments.
The workshop brought together Commissioners, Heads of Service and Attorneys-General, among other key government officials, to deepen understanding of the legal and institutional requirements for effective data protection across the states.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, stressed the importance of creating a secure and privacy-compliant environment as Nigeria advances its digital economy.
The keynote address was delivered by the National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, who said state governments were critical to the successful implementation of the national data protection framework.
Olatunji highlighted the importance of data protection and privacy, drawing on real-life experiences to demonstrate the consequences of poor data management and non-compliance with the law.
He urged state governments to prioritise data protection and privacy in their respective jurisdictions and communicate the importance of compliance to their governors.
According to him, effective implementation would not only protect citizens from the misuse of their personal information but also strengthen public confidence in government and create opportunities for Nigerians to benefit from the rapidly expanding data protection ecosystem.
The NDPC boss further emphasised that state governments handle vast amounts of sensitive personal information through sectors such as healthcare, education, civil registration, taxation and other public services, making them indispensable to the success of Nigeria’s data protection regime.
He also urged states to establish appropriate data governance structures and frameworks rather than creating separate data protection laws, stressing the need for consistency in the implementation of the national framework.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the NGF, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, represented by the Forum’s General Counsel and Legal Adviser, Chijioke Chukwu, Esq., said the partnership with the NDPC was designed to provide states with a common platform for implementing the data protection law.
Shittu described data protection as an essential component of good governance, particularly as government services become increasingly digital.
He urged participants to leave the workshop with a clear understanding of their institutional responsibilities and concrete steps for implementing data protection requirements in their respective states.
The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, also stressed the importance of protecting citizens’ personal information, noting that state governments handle sensitive data across several critical sectors.
Other dignitaries who delivered goodwill messages included the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, represented by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, Arch Joy Baderin; President of the Data Knowledge Information Privacy Protection Initiative (DKIPPI), Apostle Tokunbo Smith; Chair of the African Union Cyber Security Expert Group, Alhaji Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola; and Chairman of the Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria (ALDAPCON), Mr Ivan Anya, among others.
The workshop is expected to strengthen institutional capacity across the states, promote uniform compliance with Nigeria’s data protection framework and enhance citizens’ trust in the handling of their personal information.
The development comes as Nigeria continues to expand its digital economy, with the NDPC stressing that privacy protection must remain central to the country’s digital transformation agenda.
