NDPC can generate 500,000 jobs - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) Act 2023 has potential to generate some 500,000 jobs in the country reports ITREALMS.

This was disclosed this, the Executive National Commissioner, NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, while addressing participants at a capacity building on data protection and privacy for the national members of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) in Lagos.

According to Dr. Olatunji, there are opportunities in the data protection industry and beckoned on Nigerians, especially professionals like NITRA members to take the advantage.

These opportunities, he said, stems from professionals getting certified in any of its subsectors.

"Take this sector seriously and get certifications," he said, stressing that Nigerians and professionals, could get certified as data protection officers, data privacy officers, data compliance officers, data security officers, data analysts to mention but a few.

Corporate organisations, he said, could also get certified.

"We can create jobs upto 500,000 jobs," he declared.

Though a new sector, he said that with the enabling Act signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 12, 2023, the capacity building of professionals like NITRA membership is to help push the correct narratives.

Olatunji, accompanied by the Nigeria's Project Coordinator, Digital Identity for Development (DID4D), Mr. Musa Odole Solomon, enjoined NI TRA members to look beyond the training and contribute their quota in building the data protection sector.

Earlier, Leena Abba, Esq, of the Legal and Enforcement department, gave an overview of the data protection in Nigeria, underscoring the objectives of the Act and lawful basis of processing personal data, right of data subject as well as data controllers and processors.

The head, Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at NDPC, Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, also espoused on the NDP Act 2023: Compliance, Enforcement and Penalties.

There was equally a presentation by Olurunsoma Isola and Yusuf Akinde as well as Itunu Osekun.

In his vote of thanks, the National Chairman, NITRA, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi commended the collaboration between NDPC and DID4D while assuring of NITRA determination to work with them.

He also called for more of such capacity building with hands-on on data protection etiquettes and certifications.

The capacity building for the national members of NITRA was organised in collaboration with the DID4D office in Nigeria.