The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), said they are joining forces in the areas of data protection and cybersecurity in the country.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, NDPC National Commissioner, who dropped this hint during a visit to CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), said that the planned collaboration will focus on safeguarding personal data and addressing rising cyber threats.
Shared goals in data protection and cybersecurity
At the meeting, Olatunji “highlighted the importance of safeguarding personal data and the consequences of failing to implement protective measures. He also elaborated on data subjects’ rights and the principles of data protection, particularly emphasising the lawful basis for processing personal data during investigations,” according to a statement by NDPC.
He provided a brief overview of the history of data protection, both in Nigeria and globally, and stressed the consequences of failing to implement protective measures.
Olatunji also explained data subjects’ rights, the key principles of data protection, and the lawful basis for processing personal data, especially during investigations.
Cybercrime: Key areas of collaboration
NDPC said that several areas of collaboration were proposed by Olatunji, including capacity building, research and development, data breach and cybercrime investigation strategies, and compliance measures. He also offered to provide training on data privacy for NCCC staff to enhance their knowledge in this area.
In his remarks, Henry expressed strong support for the proposed collaboration, highlighting the increasingly complex nature of cybercrimes, where personal data is often the target.
He underscored the importance of building a united front between agencies to effectively tackle data security challenges.
By pooling expertise, both the NDPC and NCCC would be better equipped to prevent data breaches and protect Nigerians’ information from cybercriminals, Henry said.
NDPC emphasised that to solidify this collaboration, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was proposed between the NDPC and NCCC. Additionally, a joint task force was established to begin work on the collaboration process, in what the agencies sees as “marking a significant step toward enhancing data security and cybercrime prevention in Nigeria.”
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