The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, delivered the keynote address at the Validation Workshop on the Data Privacy Framework for e-Commerce, organised by the NDPC in partnership with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) to strengthen sectoral compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act). He also declared the workshop open.

In his address, Dr Olatunji commended GIZ for its continued support to the Commission since its establishment and reiterated the importance of data protection and privacy to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. Emphasising the need for broad consultation in fulfilling the Commission’s mandate, he noted that the Abuja workshop was a follow-up to an earlier validation workshop on the Data Privacy Framework for e-Commerce held in Lagos, which had the participation of private-sector stakeholders. He explained that the Abuja workshop was organised to also receive inputs from the public sector.

Dr Olatunji underscored the importance of e-Commerce to Nigeria’s digital economy, stressing that businesses can only thrive when customers, as data subjects, are assured that their personal data is safe and adequately protected. He used practical examples to illustrate the importance of building trust in the digital marketplace. He also highlighted the consequences of non-compliance with the NDP Act and the risks associated with unlawful collection and processing of personal data, including profiling.

The workshop was attended by the Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Dr Karin Jansen, who represented the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nigeria, H.E. Annett Günther, as well as representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other stakeholders from the digital economy sector.