On day two of the ongoing high-level peer exchange visit hosted by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), delegates from the nine (9) participating countries, as well as representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), paid a visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, who welcomed the delegates, commended their cooperation throughout the visit. When asked for their feedback on the peer exchange, the participants described the sessions as informative and educative, and also commended the NDPC for the quality of facilitation.

Dr Olatunji stated that no one knows it all, and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. He advised the participants to consider their unique peculiarities in their efforts to achieve the best possible outcomes in advancing data protection and privacy in their respective nations. He also urged them to prioritise human capital development, noting that it is important for Data Protection Authorities to understand the concepts of data protection and privacy in order to be effective regulators of the ecosystem.

Dr Olatunji further spoke on the importance of awareness and highlighted the uniqueness of the Virtual Privacy Academy (VPA), a Nollywood-styled initiative designed to teach the basics of data protection and privacy, as well as the domestication of certification for Data Protection Officers (DPOs) for Nigerians. He offered free VPA vouchers to the participants, along with certification opportunities as certified DPOs for those who may be interested.

His remarks brought the Nigerian leg of the peer exchange to a close, and he wished them well on their journey to Nairobi, Kenya for the final phase of the exchange.