President Tinubu Signs Nigeria Data Protection Bill into Law
By: Ogunleye Oluwapelumi
President Bola Tinubu has signed the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023 into law. The bill provides a legal framework for the protection of personal information and the practice of data protection in Nigeria. The new law establishes the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, which will be responsible for regulating the processing of personal information. The Commission will be led by a National Commissioner.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), announced this at the NDPD Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan validation workshop in Abuja. The bill was sent to the Senate and House of Representatives for consideration and passage on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, via a letter from former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The new law replaces the NDPB established by former President Buhari in February 2022. The signing of the bill into law has been welcomed by many stakeholders, who believe that it will help to protect the personal information of Nigerians and improve the country’s data protection practices.
