In acknowledgement of Nigeria’s seminal contributions to the furtherance of data privacy and protection, the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) has accepted the country as a member of the organisation.
The Data Protection Bill of Nigeria, which was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was an important factor in the decision to admit Nigeria as a member of the distinguished Assembly.
In a similar vein, the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission under the Act as the independent data protection body for Nigeria is a significant index in determining whether or not a country has an adequate level of data protection.
During the 45th Global Privacy Assembly Closed Session, which took place in Bermuda from October 15th to October 20th, 2023, the decision regarding Nigeria’s accreditation was discussed and publicised.
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When and why GPA was established
The Global Privacy Avlliance (GPA), which was established in 1979, has as its primary mission the provision of an international platform for the coordination of cross-border efforts made towards the advancement of data privacy and protection. At the moment, it is made up of 130 Data Protection Authorities coming from different nations all over the world. Some of the nations that are members of the Global Privacy Assembly and have their own DPAs are Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, and Senegal.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Digital Payments Corporation (NDPC), stated his excitement that the efforts of the Federal Government on digital transformation are having positive results when he heard that Nigeria has been accepted as a member of the GPA.
He issued a call to the many parties involved in the Data Processing ecosystem, urging them to maintain a high standard of care when dealing with individuals’ personal data. This will go a long way towards enhancing people’s trust and confidence in the developing digital economy in Nigeria.
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More About GPA ( Global Privacy Assembly)
As the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, the inaugural gathering of what is now known as the Global Privacy Assembly took place in 1979. For more than four decades, the Assembly has served as the preeminent global platform for authorities responsible for data protection and privacy issues.
The goal of the Assembly is to establish itself as a global leader in the protection of personal information and privacy. It accomplishes this by coordinating the work of over 130 different data protection and privacy bodies located in different parts of the world.
The Assembly is a body that represents the collective membership of those who have been accredited. Accreditation may be requested by public authorities if they are able to demonstrate that they satisfy the membership requirements outlined in the Assembly’s rules and procedures. Currently, there are around 130 data protection and privacy authorities that are accredited as members of the Assembly.
The goal of the Assembly is to create an atmosphere in which privacy and data protection authorities all over the world are able to efficiently carry out their mandates, both on their own and in collaboration with one another, through the dissemination of knowledge and the formation of supportive links.
