The ECOWAS workshop on the review of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act of 2010 on Personal Data Protection commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC). The workshop aimed to develop a draft strategy to enhance the current supplementary act on personal data protection.
In his address, Dr. Olatunji provided an overview of Nigeria’s data protection journey and highlighted the rapid progress of data protection laws across Africa since the establishment of the Malabo Convention. This convention has positively impacted 23 African countries, including Nigeria. He also shared a brief history of data protection in Nigeria and discussed the unique model the country has adopted, which has garnered interest from other nations.
Dr. Olatunji outlined NDPC’s strategic roadmap, emphasizing the pillars of the plan. He recommended a continuous review of the supplementary act to account for emerging technologies and proposed appointing a Chief Data Protection Officer within ECOWAS to enhance coordination among data protection authorities. He stressed the importance of fostering a common ground for knowledge sharing and increasing awareness of data protection issues.
The workshop saw participation from ministries responsible for ICT and the digital economy, Data Protection Authorities from member states, the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union, and GIZ.
ANTHONY EMEKA NWOSU
