9mobile, trading as Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Lt, is not missing in the Federal Government’s list of companies which prioritized compliance with NDPR Data Policies 2021 as earlier stated . IT News regrets the erroneous report.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) recently published the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) Audit filing compliant organizations’ list for 2021.
IT News Nigeria:
A statement signed weekend by NITDA’s Head Corporate Affairs and External Affairs, Mrs. Hadiza Umar said the list is an authoritative repository of organizations that have prioritized compliance with the NDPR, and has become a reference point for global law firms, multinationals, investors, and compliance enthusiasts.
Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) was issued in January 2019 pursuant to Section 6 (a, c) of the NITDA Act 2007. The Regulation is the current National law on data protection in Nigeria. It applies to public and private sector processing personal data within and outside Nigeria.
NITDA said earlier that it will ensure that public and private organisations comply with the NDPR to protect citizens’ personal information, tackle menace of cybercrimes and encourage safer use of Internet amongst individuals, public, and private organisations in the country.
NITDA’s release added that the list indicates those organisations that have undergone the NDPR Audit process to ascertain their level of compliance, and identify areas for improvement.
“All the listed organizations have engaged a Data Protection Compliance Organization (DPCO) to train their staff, and to implement basic data protection protocols.”
The list comprises One Thousand Two Hundred and Thirteen (1,213) organizations from 13 sectors that contribute to Nigeria’s GDP. They include Health, Transport & Logistics, Public Sector, Industrial and Extractive, ICT and Media, Energy and Power, Education, Finance, Commerce, and Consulting.
The Agency publishes Information Assurance Guidelines for MDAs towards ensuring that MDAs implement the minimum controls required to safeguard their information assets; and the enactment of Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) that ensures that personal data of data subjects are protected. Also, that mechanisms are set in place to ensure that violations to NDPR provisions are appropriately investigated and appropriate sanctions applied. He appreciated the support offered by the Force by attaching Officers to the NITDA Regulations Compliance Monitoring Team.
According to the Director General, NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, protecting personal information of Nigerians online is a top priority of NITDA, as data remains a critical component of Digital Economy. Every moment spent on the internet, he said, leaves personal data footprints on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) and search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc) making the companies get richer through yet free services, but with the personal data of individuals stored online.
“Data is the lifeblood of Digital Economy that includes Metadata. The amount of data globally in 2020 was 44 zettabytes which the world is expected to reach 75 billion in Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices by 2025”, he said. Abdullahi said cybersecurity has become very essential in today’s world where the society is more reliant on digital technology than ever before; and the sophistication and relentless attacks of cybercriminals are incomparable. According to him, there is apparently no sign that this trend will slow down anytime soon. Therefore, there is need for the collaboration between NITDA and the Force to tackle the menace through ensuring that organizations protect the personal information of all citizens at their disposal.
