Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), has been named to the Forbes Technology Council for 2023.
The Forbes Technology Council is a group of world-class CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives who can only join if they are invited.
The founder of the Forbes Council, Scott Gerber, said that they are very happy to have Olatunji join. He also said that the goal of Forbes Councils is to “bring together proven leaders from every industry to create a curated, social capital-driven network that helps each member grow professionally and have an even bigger impact on the business world.”
Olatunji said, “I’m thrilled to have been chosen to join the Forbes Technology Council.” “It’s another sign that our small efforts to make sure our country is known as a leader in data protection compliance are paying off.”
Vincent Olatunji’s biography
Olatunji has a PhD from the University of Lagos in geography and planning. He is a PECB Certified Data Protection Officer and a Certified Public-Private Partnership Specialist (IP3 Specialist).
Olatunji has done a great job of building strong relationships across industries and getting real results. He has a great track record of making a difference.
He has led teams well, done a lot of studying, come up with good policies, and put strategic plans into action at all levels of government in Nigeria.
His speciality is helping people grow and change, and he is also very good at negotiating, making connections, and speaking in public. Olatunji has worked for the government for more than 30 years, so he brings a lot of information and professionalism to the Forbes Technology Council.
Olatunji started the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2002 and has worked in many different departments. In 2014, he was named director, and in 2016, he was appointed acting director general.
Before he became the first National Commissioner of the NDPB in February 2022, he was the Director of eGovernment Development and Regulations at NITDA, where he oversaw a strong team that worked on many projects to help Nigeria become more digital.
As Nigeria’s Data Protection Ombudsman, Olatunji’s hard work and expertise have put him at the forefront of making policies and frameworks that match international standards.
This has strengthened Nigeria’s and Africa’s positions in the global data protection environment.
He has been to many capacity-building programmes on a wide range of themes, such as public sector management, project planning and management, digital transformation, and data protection. Olatunji is also on a number of expert committees and has been Nigeria’s representative at a number of local and foreign events.
He has won several awards from both public and private organizations. In 2023, he will get the GNC Digital Hall of Fame Award of Lifetime Recognition for his outstanding efforts on projects in Africa that use new technology to help with development.
In February 2023, IT Edge News Africa named him one of the Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers in Nigeria. In April 2018, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria named him one of the 100 leading telecom and ICT personalities in Nigeria.
Also, the University of Lagos Alumni Association gave him an award for outstanding commitment, and the Ekiti State University Alumni Association called him an eminent personality. Also, in June 2018, Ekiti State University gave him an honors degree of Doctor of Public Administration.