Secure Your Digital Future: FG Launches Game-Changing Data Protection Initiative

The national certification program for Data Protection Officers (DPOs) was introduced by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) on Monday.

The program's initial cohort, which aims to close the data protection gap nationwide, is anticipated to teach 500 DPOs.

At the launch, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani stated that the development of the digital economy sector was necessary because President Bola Tinubu was dedicated to making Nigeria a $1 trillion economy.

The digital economy is currently contributing between 14 and 16 percent of Nigeria's GDP, and it is expected to reach 21 percent in the coming years, he said, underscoring its crucial importance.

"Our president is making audacious choices that could initially hurt us as a nation, but they will lay a solid basis for a bright and inclusive future for all citizens of this nation.

President Bola Tinubu stated his goal and commitment to transforming our economy into a $1 trillion one.


The implication is that if you have a nation with nearly half a billion people, you must create work possibilities, and the only way to accomplish that is by increasing the GDP of the nation. Many people might not comprehend what that implies.

"We can only genuinely create a large number of fulfilling jobs for our people by engaging in economic activity and growing the digital economy," he stated.

Mr. Tijani studied Nigeria's telecom revolution since 1999, pointing out how it has revolutionized financial services, communication, and corporate operations.

However, he expressed worries about the risks that come with greater connection, especially with regard to data security and privacy.

The minister emphasized how crucial it is to establish trust in order to support innovation, economic growth, and digital technology.
He encouraged the program's recipients to take advantage of the chance, stating that it was the government's one-of-a-kind investment in their future and a way to support the growth of the country.

Mr. Tijani asserts that trust and competent people are essential to a robust digital economy, and without them, Nigeria runs the risk of lagging behind.

According to Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner of the NDPC, the World Economic Forum predicted in 2020 that 92 million jobs would be lost in six years as a result of the adoption of developing technologies.

However, Mr. Olatunji pointed out that new occupations and 170 million skill sets might be developed, both of which required digital skills.

According to his memory, the commission surveyed data controllers and processors and found that more than 500,000 of them were required to work as data protection officers.

However, the head of the NDPC stated that they needed to educate qualified DPOs because the capabilities were inadequate.

We have begun implementing the Nigeria Data Protection Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan in accordance with the Public-Private Partnership approach.

"We came up with this idea of training and funding the generation of certified data protection officers," he stated.

Mr. Olatunji added that in order to lessen the financial burden of data protection certification, it chose to train the DPOs.
The National Information Technology Development Agency's (NITDA) director-general, Kashifu Inuwa, promoted certification and skill and knowledge acquisition, arguing that it was crucial to the development of the digital economy.

Mr. Inuwa emphasized the value of initiatives that gave young Nigerians digital skills, pointing out that they might lower unemployment and boost economic expansion.

In addition to congratulating the certification program participants, he reiterated NITDA's dedication to assisting projects that established Nigeria as a major force in the global digital economy.

Additionally, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, stated that in an increasingly digital age, sustainable data needed a working protection mechanism.

Speaking on behalf of Cybercrime Center national commissioner CP Uche Henry, Mr. Egbetokun stated that the growing use of emerging technologies has led to a rise in threats.

"The entire global ecosystem is vulnerable to cyber threats and data breaches due to the growing use of emerging technologies and the management of public and firebase enterprises with inherent vulnerabilities.

He claimed that this has led to an immediate requirement for qualified experts who can successfully negotiate the complexity of regulatory frameworks and data protection.

Ayodele Olawande, the minister of youth development, and Jane Egerton-Idehen, the managing director of Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd., sent more well wishes.

The program will start with the initial 200 participants, 100 of whom will come from Lagos and Abuja, respectively.

A fresh cohort of 100 participants would be trained every week in the ensuing weeks until all 500 of the chosen participants had finished the program.
As part of its 2025 capacity-building initiatives and in accordance with its Nigeria Data Protection Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (2023-2027), the NDPC is funding the training and certification of the 500 chosen participants.

Beneficiaries will take a virtual certification exam given by the Institute of Information Management (IIM) at the conclusion of the program.