The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, received a delegation from the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), led by its Executive Secretary, Mr Olusegun Adesokan.

Mr Adesokan thanked Dr Olatunji for the warm reception. He provided an overview of the JRB, noting that it was established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to strengthen coordination within Nigeria’s revenue ecosystem. He expressed the Board’s readiness to collaborate with the Commission to ensure robust data protection practices within the Board, as well as across the Nigeria Revenue Service and the various State Internal Revenue Services, thereby enhancing public trust among taxpayers.

Mr Adesokan further stated that the Board is committed to compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and encourages its members to do the same, given the significant volume of tax-related data processed. He highlighted potential areas of collaboration, including the Virtual Privacy Academy (VPA), induction training, certification programmes for Data Protection Officers (DPOs), the development of sector-specific guidelines, and the establishment of a joint technical working group.

In his response, Dr Olatunji commended the Executive Secretary for the proactive step in engaging the Commission and exploring avenues for collaboration. He emphasised that data protection cuts across all sectors and requires strong partnerships to build trust and confidence. He noted that the NDPC is currently developing sector-specific guidelines and will incorporate the revenue sector, given its strategic importance at both national and subnational levels.

Dr Olatunji affirmed the Commission’s commitment to working with the JRB and approved their requests, including the provision of 100 VPA vouchers, induction training, and certification programmes. He also approved the establishment of a joint technical working group to drive the implementation of agreed initiatives between the NDPC and the JRB.