The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has expressed interest in partnering with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to provide training on data privacy and protection for Nigerians.
The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Olatunji explained that the proposed partnership would strengthen digital skills acquisition among Corps Members and prepare them for opportunities in the growing digital economy. According to him, the commission has identified about 500,000 data processors and controllers across the country who would require the services of trained data protection officers.
He said the data protection sector offers strong employment prospects and supports the Federal Government’s job creation drive.
Under the proposed collaboration, Olatunji said the NDPC would train NYSC staff free of charge and also grant them access to its Virtual Privacy Academy (VPA). He added that 100 Corps Members in each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory would be trained and certified as Data Protection Officers.
“By law, it is mandatory for all Ministries, Department and Agencies of the Federal Government to process data in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Telecommunications Act of year 2023,” he said.
Olatunji commended the NYSC for being the best compliant Federal Government Agency on data protection in the country and praised the Scheme’s contributions to Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement since inception.
He stressed the need to put adequate measures in place to protect information shared online by internet users and advocated the appointment of data processing officers in all NYSC formations nationwide.
In his response, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, described data protection and security as essential for building confidence in the digital economy.
He welcomed the proposal and pledged to integrate the training into the Scheme’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Nafiu noted that Corps Members are active on social media but acknowledged an existing gap in data protection knowledge, adding that the partnership would empower them to serve as strong advocates of data protection.
Both agencies agreed to establish a committee to fast track a Memorandum of Understanding for nationwide implementation of the partnership.
