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About 110 companies are currently being investigated by the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) over allegations of data breaches, privacy ombudsman and National Commissioner/CEO of NDPB, Dr. Vincent Olatunji disclosed this week in Lagos.
Olatunji who was in Lagos to attend the Nigeria’s Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers recognition ceremony said banks, telecommunications firms, gaming companies, and online lending companies were among the companies being investigated.
His words: “We are investigating over 110 data controllers and data processors for various degrees of data privacy and protection breaches. The most worrisome are those in the financial, telecom, gaming, and online lending industries.
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“When you factor in the lack of due diligence on the part of data controllers in engaging data processors or vendors that have access to the personal data of customers, you find in some cases abuse and violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.”
According to him, vulnerabilities in these sectors tended to be on the high side partly due to the capabilities of intrusive mobile apps they deploy in rendering their services and the notoriety of operators to disregard existing privacy regulations.
But cases of official reports or complaints are increasing because there is an increasing awareness of data protection and privacy laws, the privacy regulator stated.
Data protection is business of everyone says Olatunji at Nigeria’s Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers
Speaking later at the Nigeria’s Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers event, Olatunji who was honoured in the eminent category as a Digital Economy Enabler, said data protection with privacy has become the business of everyone whether as individuals or corporate entities.
He was honoured alongside other prominent Niegrians and corporate entities including the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta, Director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kachifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
Other organisations honoured include Tezza Solutions, PFS, Switch Solutions, Open Access Data Centres (OADC); FinTrak Software Co. Ltd; Ezzential Global Services Ltd; Crystalfix Nigeria LTD (CNL); Zora Communication Limited; Information Connectivity Solution Limited (ICSL); Unitellas International Limited; Swift Telephone Network Ltd (STN); HD Technologies and Smart Web Nigeria Limited.
