As part of Nigeria’s engagements on international data protection cooperation, the National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, led the Commission’s delegation in a strategic meeting with delegates from the United States Departments of State and Commerce, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Future of Privacy Forum at the Global Privacy Assembly, currently being held in Seoul, South Korea.
In her remarks, the Director of Global Data Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, Shannon Coe, welcomed Nigeria’s associate membership in the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum. She noted the Forum’s appreciation for insights from associate members like Nigeria, especially on the modernisation of program requirements. Ms Coe also spoke about the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE), describing it as a practical multilateral mechanism that supports cooperation among over 14 jurisdictions in cross-border privacy enforcement. She emphasised that Nigeria’s participation would strengthen both the credibility and enforceability of the CBPR system.
Dr Olatunji responded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to aligning with global data protection standards through active participation in the CBPR Forum. He emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the Forum’s objectives, particularly through engagement in working groups and other collaborative platforms that promote effective international cooperation on data privacy and cross-border data governance.
He explained that the NDPC intends to implement the CBPR framework using its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to support secure cross-border data flows. He reiterated the importance of awareness programs, regulatory sandboxes, capacity building, and the development of sector-specific compliance tools to ensure the framework’s successful adoption in Nigeria. The meeting ended with a shared resolve to deepen bilateral and multilateral collaboration.
