The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has signed separate Memoranda of Understanding with the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to strengthen data protection and privacy across Nigeria’s public sector and subnational institutions.
Speaking during the signing of the MoU with the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr Vincent Olatunji, the national commissioner/CEO, NDPC, commended the leadership of the BPP for prioritising privacy and data governance.
He stated:
“Data privacy is a global imperative for building trust, confidence, and credibility within the digital ecosystem. The NDPC remains committed to supporting the integration of robust data protection standards within Nigeria’s procurement sector.”
In his remarks, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general of the BPP, reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to ethical data management and compliance with global best practices.
In his words:
“We recognise that the unlawful disclosure of government information is a criminal offence. As we embrace technology, there is a growing need to strengthen safeguards for the protection of sensitive information.”
As part of the collaboration, Dr Olatunji offered 50 Virtual Privacy Academy vouchers to BPP staff to support capacity development in data protection and privacy.
Dr Adedokun welcomed the initiative and proposed broader training opportunities for the Bureau’s 453 procurement officers nationwide.
In a related development, the NDPC also signed an MoU with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to deepen data protection and privacy at the state level.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Olatunji commended the leadership of the NGF for its readiness to partner with the Commission in advancing responsible data governance at the state level.
He said:
“Compliance with data protection obligations is critical to strengthening privacy frameworks across our states, thereby accelerating nationwide adoption, enhancing investor confidence, as well as foreign direct investment.”
Dr Abdulateef Shittu, director-general of the NGF, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to strengthening data protection and privacy across the states.
In his words:
“This partnership with the NDPC is a strategic step towards securing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and advancing responsible data governance at the subnational level.”
To ensure effective implementation of both agreements, working groups were established by the NDPC with the BPP and the NGF respectively to develop actionable frameworks for swift implementation.
