The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a Code of Conduct for Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) to ensure professionalism in data protection.
The NDPC issued the code at a virtual event On Wednesday, in Abuja ahead of its scheduled enforcement in 2024.
NDPC National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, urged DPCOs to see their roles in implementing the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) as a public trust that must be guarded with the utmost sense of responsibility, especially for its job creation attributes along the value chain.
“The NDPA 2023, under section 33, mandates the Commission to license persons having a requisite level of expertise. The licensing is in line with data protection and the act, to monitor, audit and report on compliance by data controllers and data processors.
“This is a unique Public Private Partnership model which is designed to promote trust and confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy, which, like other economies around the world, thrives on data processing,” he said.
He noted that DPCOs are responsible for creating awareness and engaging in capacity building and registration of data controllers with the NDPC, developing and implementing compliance schedules, ensuring NDPA compliance audits, and filing compliance audit returns with the agency, among others.
He also said DPCOs must be duly licensed by the Commission and have a verifiable certified data protection officer.
NDPC’s Head, Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, Babatunde Bamigboye, highlighted the objectives and principles while presenting the code of conduct.
These include privacy consciousness, capacity building, accountability, data ethics, and corporate social responsibility.
“All DPCOs will be held accountable in line with the provisions of the NDPA, the code of conduct and other regulatory instruments that have been issued by the Commission, going forward,” he said.
This is a unique Public Private Partnership model which is designed to promote trust and confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy, which, like other economies around the world, thrives on data processing.
