The National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, received a delegation from Microsoft led by Jeff Bullwinkel, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Mr Bullwinkel congratulated the National Commissioner and the entire NDPC on the successful hosting of the NADPA-RAPDP Conference and AGM, expressing Microsoft’s delight in partnering during the event. He emphasised that data privacy is a top priority for Microsoft and reiterated the company’s commitment to deepening its collaboration with the Commission. He also expressed interest in working with regulators across the continent to advance a unified data protection standard in Africa.
Dr Olatunji thanked Mr Bullwinkel for the visit and appreciated Microsoft’s support to the Commission since its inception. He gave a brief overview of Nigeria’s data protection and privacy journey, highlighting the processes that led to the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) in 2023. He noted that Nigeria is a large and dynamic country, and the President is committed to creating a business-friendly environment.
Discussions during the meeting focused on growth and innovation within the data protection ecosystem, particularly in addressing challenges posed by emerging technologies. Other areas of potential collaboration between the Commission and Microsoft were also explored, including knowledge-sharing, human capital development, and the use of Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) tools. These efforts aim to promote the culture of data protection and privacy in Nigeria and across Africa.
