President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) has appointed Dr. Vincent Olatunji as the national commissioner/chief executive officer of the newly established Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB).
Before his appointment, which is with immediate effect, Olatunji was director, e-government development and regulations department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The appointment follows a request by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, who stressed the importance of the NDPB’s establishment in line with global best practices and focuses on data protection and privacy for the country, among others.
A statement by the spokesperson to the minister, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, said the successful implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a digital Nigeria has significantly increased the adoption of data platforms and accelerated the ‘datafication’ of our society. This, she said, has increased the importance of having an institution that focuses on data protection and privacy.
“Furthermore, the issuance of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in January 2019, as subsidiary legislation to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Act 2007, has increased awareness about the need for data protection and privacy. The bureau will be responsible for consolidating the gains of the NDPR and supporting the process for the development of primary legislation for data protection and privacy.
“President Buhari also approves the recommendation of the minister of communications and digital economy, Professor Pantami, for Dr. Vincent Olatunji to serve as the national commissioner/chief executive officer of the Bureau. Dr. Olatunji hails from Ekiti State and, at the time of his appointment, was the director of the e-government development and regulations department at NITDA. The appointment takes effect immediately,” it added.
