A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Data & Knowledge Information Privacy Protection Initiative (DKIPPI), has reiterated the importance and necessity of data privacy and protection for Nigeria and other countries in view of the socioeconomic benefits to individuals, organisations, businesses and the global community.
The President of the organisation, Mr. Tokunbo Smith, who made this remark during a media chat ahead of the World Data Privacy Day usually marked globally on January 28 of each year, maintained that data privacy and protection remained key pillars of Nigeria’s national security, economic growth and global competitiveness.
He expatiated: “Weak data protection exposes countries to cybercrime, identity theft, espionage and digital terrorism. However, strong frameworks attract foreign investment, support digital trade, fintech, health technology and the creative economy.”
The civil activist cautioned that unprotected personal data posed a serious threat to democracy, individual dignity and sustainable national development.
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Smith pointed out that data privacy remained crucial in protecting human rights in the digital age and that citizens must have control over how their personal information was being collected, shared and used.
According to him, modern data protection principles are rooted in Convention 108 of 1981, which sets global standards for lawful and fair data processing, accountability and respect for individual rights.
The DKIPPI boss explained that data protection journey in Nigeria had been strengthened with the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as well as ongoing reforms by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NPDC).
While noting that laws alone cannot guarantee data privacy, the civil activist said that cultural change and continuous protection were also required to guarantee data privacy in the country.
To achieve this, Smith urged the media and CSOs to intensify public enlightenment and oversight on data privacy, especially in rural communities in the country
The DKIPPI President hinted that activities lined up for the 2026 Data Privacy and Protection Month would include community outreach, storytelling on data misuse, and school programmes tagged “My Data, My Right”, adding that there will be capacity building for data protection officers and privacy excellence awards.
The World Data Privacy Day, usually commemorated yearly on January 28 is intended to protect human dignity, protect national interests and strengthen trust in the rapidly evolving global digital ecosystem, among other objectives.
