By Paul Effiong, Abuja
National Assembly Joint Committees on ICT and Cyber Security has vowed readiness to urgently review the National Data Protection Act (2023) in order to meet emerging threats associated with technological advancement across Nigeria.
Speaking yesterday during the opening of a three-day workshop on Data Protection Awareness Promotion organised for the Joint Committee by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, and Ampersand Development Partners, the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Afolabi Salisu assured of strong legislative support to eliminate all forms of cyber crimes in Nigeria.
According to the lawmaker, “Since the enactment of the Act in 2023, there have been new developments such as Artificial Intelligence, AI, as well as the United Nations Convention on Cyber Crimes.
He, however, educated participants on the direct nexus between data governance and cyber crimes, even as he also emphasised the need to look at the Act and strengthen the handshakes where necessary.
In his address during the event, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Stanley Olajide noted that data is gold and Nigeria’s next prosperity is not going to be oil, but data.
He explained that no investor would bring foreign funds or capital into Nigeria without making sure that the right data protection law is in place, which Nigeria has.
Participants at the workshop commended lawmakers for their proactive measures to address cyber crimes across Nigeria.
