UUBO Seeks Stakeholders’ Collaboration in Implementing NDP Act
Sunday Okobi
Members of the Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie Group (UUBO) have advocated strong stakeholders’ collaboration in the implementation of the Nigerian Data Protection NDP Act.
They made the call at the Data privacy breakfast, which was held in Lagos with the theme: ‘The GAID in Practice: Navigating Nigeria’s New Privacy Directives.’
At the event, the Managing Partner at UUBO, Jumoke Lambo, disclosed that the crux of the event was to provide opportunity for regulators, policymakers, in-house counsel, data protection officers, and industry leaders to exchange insights on the implementation of the Nigerian Data Protection (NDP) Act General Application and Implementation Directives (GAID).
While stating that the NDP landscape will continue to evolve, she added that the regulator, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), would continue to set the pace as one of the most active data protection authorities across the continent of Africa.
In his presentation, the National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, described the GAID as operational blueprint for NDP Act, 2023, issued by the Commission on March 20, 2025
With the aim of providing clarity and practical guidance on implementation of the NDP Act, 2023, he disclosed that the Act took effect from September 19, 2025, replacing the NDPR 2019 as the nation’s principal regulatory guide.
Specifically, Olatunji spoke on Principles of Data Protection; NDP Act Compliance Audit Returns; Data Protection Officer’s Assessment; Data Privacy Impact Assessment; Guidance on Cross-Border Data Transfer; Data Subject Vulnerability Indexes; legitimate Interest Impact Assessment Template; Data Subject’s Standard Notice to Address Grievances and NDP Act Compliance Audit Returns Filing Fee.
Speaking further, he added that complying with the NDP Act GAID is not just a regulatory requirement, but a strategic enabler for trust, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Concerning Data Protection Officers (DPO), he said their contact must be “publicly available and communicated to the Commission; annual credential assessment of DPOs will be conducted to ensure they maintain requisite level of professionalism to carry out their responsibilities; the DPO is required to submit a semi-annual report to management on the data protection status within the organisation; the DPO should have unrestricted access to personal data and processing activities to effectively fulfil their role; the DPO must operate independently, free from undue influence to ensure objectivity; the DPO must maintain confidentiality regarding their work.”
In conclusion, he noted: “The successful implementation of the NDP Act depends on cooperation among all stakeholders (data subjects, government, businesses, civil society organisations and the media). Through this collective effort, we can transform compliance into opportunity, strengthening governance, improving services, and enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness.”
