The National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the forthcoming Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RADPA) Conference and Annual General Meeting scheduled to hold in May, 2025 in Abuja. The inauguration took place at the NDPC office in Abuja.
Through the NDPC, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is set to host the 10th edition of this prestigious conference and AGM. This event will gather esteemed delegates and participants from across Africa and beyond, including Heads of Data Protection Authorities, data protection experts, multinational corporations, development partners, and foreign investors. This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 8th-point agenda in the area of economic growth and job creation.
In his inaugural address, Dr Olatunji expressed his appreciation to the LOC members for their enthusiasm and willingness to collaborate with the Commission to ensure the success of the event. He underscored the significance of the conference, describing it as the largest event in Africa’s data protection and privacy ecosystem. “This event is not about the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) or the NDPC alone, but about Nigeria. That is why we have selected committee members from diverse sectors,” he said.
The LOC comprises representatives from various sectors, including FMCIDE, NCC, NIPOST, NIGCOMSAT, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the World Bank represented by ID4D Project office, Digital Transformation Center, European Union, Meta, Google, AWS, Microsoft, Management Edge, ISACA, MasterCard, Office of Data Protection Commissioner, Kenya, and the media amongst others.
Dr Olatunji urged the committee members to work collaboratively and exchange ideas to bring the world to Nigeria and ensure the success of the event. He emphasized that the conference will be a crucial platform to showcase Nigeria as a peaceful, safe, and attractive investment destination. “We must highlight Nigeria’s positive image and prove that Nigeria is a good and hospitable country.” he added.
He noted that Nigeria’s hosting of the NADPA-RADPA conference underscores the NDPC’s traction within a short period of establishment and the nation’s commitment to data protection and digital innovation on the global stage. He said “though we started later than some in the data protection and privacy ecosystem, we have already made significant strides, even at the global level.”
The Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RADPA), established in Ouagadougou in September 2016, consists of 23 Data Protection Authorities and others with observer status from across Africa. Its primary objective is to provide a platform for exchanges and cooperation among its members while amplifying Africa’s voice in global partnerships.
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