From Adanna Nnaoma, Abuja
According to the National Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), its proposed project of establishing a local institution to educate and certify data privacy and protection professionals in the nation will generate at least 500,000 jobs.
This was made known by the National Commissioner of the NDPB, Dr Vincent Olatunji, during the one-year anniversary of the Bureau at the weekend in Abuja.
Olatunji noted that the bureau had made modest progress in its plan to develop at least 500,000 job opportunities for Nigerians in the data privacy space.
“We have initiated a comprehensive process for training and certification of data privacy and protection experts in Nigeria. This training and certification are expected to create career opportunities for at least 500,000 persons in the labour market.”
“There is a need for NDPB to license an indigenous institution to carry out the following: coordinate the development of training materials, certify training providers based on internationally acceptable standards, conduct examinations, provide certification to successful candidates and conduct research to deepen the knowledge domain and maintain a database certified persons.”
and others
He said the Bureau had succeeded in creating 9577 jobs, verifying 1928 Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and 138 Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs), among others.
NDPB also made progress in the areas of Strategic Road Map and Action Plan, capacity building, awareness, and partnerships.
The NDPB boss said the Bureau hoped to increase awareness about data privacy in Nigeria,
NDPB used the occasion to recognise institutions that had been supportive and awarded them institutional support awards. Among the institutions recognized, were; the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D), among others.