While focused on its goal of building a prosperous Africa through the provision of digital payment solutions, Interswitch is also deliberate about prioritizing data protection standards, and as such, has aligned itself with this program to promote widespread awareness on the importance of data security among Nigerians, taking into cognizance the dangers present in today’s digital world.

The theme for the week-long activities is ‘Data Economics in a Digital Economy: Charting Nigeria’s Data Strategy’. This year’s event is the second major awareness campaign following the issuance of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in 2019, created to ensure Nigerian businesses are consistent with global standards on data protection and privacy.

Driven by the need to embed data protection standards that keep customers’ data safe, Interswitch’s operations are underpinned by world-class standards and certifications, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Management System (ISO 27001), Management System (ISO 9001), among others.

While speaking on the company’s support of the National Data Privacy Week, Griffith Ehebha, Group Chief Risk Officer, Interswitch Group, said that Interswitch remains committed to applying stringent measures that preserve the safety of customers’ personal information.

He said, “There is no doubt about the existential threat of cyber-attacks across the world. Indeed, it is reported as one of the top 5 highest rated risks, as the attacks become more frequent, targeted, and complex. At Interswitch, data protection and regulatory compliance are critical to customer confidence and sustainable business growth.”

“Our support of NITDA’s National Data Privacy Week stems from our commitment to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices”, he added.

The National Privacy Week also features activities including a health privacy workshop titled ‘COVID-19 and Privacy: Navigating Data Privacy Rights in a Pandemic’ and data privacy advocacy sessions at secondary schools. There will also be a quiz session to stimulate the minds of students on the importance of keeping information safe while surfing digital platforms.

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Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), disclosed this during a press conference on Monday to announce the commencement of a week-long activities to commemorate the national week.

The DG announced theme for 2022 National Data Privacy Week, as: “Data Economics In Digital Economy:  Charting Nigeria’s Data Strategy.”

“To drive this home, we have scheduled several activities such as A Keynote Address by the; Panel Discussions, Presentation of 2021 NDPR Report, Launching of Educational Programmes, etc. You are all invited to get involved in these events – not only for the purposes of media reportage but also as stakeholders in the overall quest of this administration towards building an inclusive digital economy”.

He said that the National Data Privacy Week was instituted to draw attention to need to maintain absolute data privacy both in government ands private sectors.

Abdullahi mentioned the critical developments in NITDA’s quest towards making lives and livelihoods more sustainable in the area of data privacy.

“If anyone was in doubt of the importance of data protection, the massive global shift towards the frontiers of the digital economy has effectively cleared that doubt. Recent economic statistics attest to this fact.

“For instance, ICT notched a 17.92% contribution to Nigeria’s GDP in the Second Quarter of 2021 – the highest in our history. This out-performs most of the economic sectors surveyed by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“Stakeholders in the industry will recall that National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) issued the extant Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in 2019.

“The success stories of the digital economy would have been tainted by horrendous abuses, if citizens who are the sole agents of socio-economic transactions are left without legal protection.

“Thus, as we celebrate Data Privacy week in this New Year, we must render our stewardship in data protection, exchange ideas with you and lay out the agenda for the Year 2022. Of course, space and time will not permit us to reel out the intricate details of what has been done and what needs to be done.

“Indeed, a detailed report will be presented in the course of the events that have been scheduled for this year’s Data Privacy Week.

Regarding the impact of the NDPR on Data Privacy In Nigeria, the NITDA boss, said, “The first thing we must emphasise in this regard is that data privacy is not a mere cliché for describing freedom from an embarrassing intrusion into what an individual does not wish to share with the public.

“Properly speaking, it is a technical concept that encompasses the safeguards for the dignity of human person, the safety of lives and livelihoods and the socio-economic integrity of a sovereign state in the frontiers of digital civilisation.

He said that the NDPR has made a landmark impact on data privacy in Nigeria.

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