Nigeria Reviews Data Protection Act

The Nigeria — National Assembly (Nigeria) has initiated a review of the National Data Protection Act 2023 to address evolving cyber threats and rapid technological advancements, particularly in Artificial intelligence. Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, announced this during a Data Protection Awareness Promotion workshop organized by the Ghana — Data Protection Commission (Ghana) and Ampersand Development Partners. The review is deemed necessary due to new global realities, including AI systems and the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. Stanley Olajide, Chairman of the House Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, emphasized that data is Nigeria's 'next prosperity resource' and that robust data protection laws are crucial for attracting foreign investment. The workshop aims to enhance legislators' understanding of data privacy to effectively legislate in this area, with a roadmap and timeline for the Act's amendment expected to be developed.