FG working on digital rights law, says Pantami

The Federal Government has said it is working on a draft, Digital Rights Law, to be passed by the National Assembly before the end of 2022.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, made this known, yesterday, in Abuja at a Roundtable Discussion on Data Privacy and Protection in Nigeria.

The roundtable discussion entitled: “Assessing Data Protection in Nigeria,” was organised by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC).

Pantami, who was represented by the National Commissioner, National Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Vincent Olatunji, explained that the law would ensure the data privacy of Nigerians on the internet was not violated.

“It is important for any country operating in the digital space to have agencies that would regulate the space and implement data privacy protection.

“Since we started with the regulation, we hope to have a law that will make it an act of parliament to adequately protect Nigerians.

“That is why, President Muhammadu Buhari heeded the advice of Pantami by creating NDPB.

“It will ensure we regulate what people do online in terms of how to protect their data privacy, and that users’ freedom is guaranteed, and also mandate companies to file data privacy compliance reports,” Pantami said.

Earlier, the President, PPDC, Nkem Ilo, urged the government to collaborate with civil society organisations and the private sector, to educate Nigerians on data rights and violations.

Nkem advocated that technology users should be conscious of personal data disclosures while online, in order to avoid data breaches.