Agbata said the visit was also part of the agency’s efforts to advance the State Government’s vision to ensure data privacy and protection for Ndi Anambra.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, (CFA), on Friday, paid a courtesy visit to the National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji at the Commission’s office in Abuja.
Agbata said the visit was to explore possible avenues of collaboration that will yield accurate data sourcing for Anambra state, which will, in turn, prove resourceful for the Commission in national planning.
The visit was also part of the agency’s efforts to advance the State Government’s vision to ensure data privacy and protection for Ndi Anambra.
The visit afforded the two organisations the opportunity to discuss areas of mutual cooperation between the State and the Commission.
Digital TimesNG learnt that among the key areas of cooperation discussed at the meeting included Citizens’ Awareness, where both organisations are looking at raising public consciousness around Data Protection and ensuring Data privacy for citizens, so as to reduce the scourge of hacking, identity theft, and other ills that currently make online and offline presence a challenge in the country.
Both executives also discussed the importance of Capacity Building in order to get more people trained on data protection as well as the need for public and private institutions in the state to engage the services of Data Protection Officers, DPOs, in compliance and monitoring, in line with the provisions of the Act establishing the NDPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR.
Both organisations are also looking to create new job openings and employment opportunities in areas such as Data Protection Officers (DPOs), and Compliance Officers among others, as an initiative toward Youth Empowerment.
This they envisaged, will enable the youths to be better informed and empowered to set up innovative businesses around data protection and management.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Anambra State ICT Agency noted that data is the new oil, because of its strategic importance to planning across critical spheres of the economy.
He said, having underscored this, Mr. Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, has committed to accurate data sourcing and the protection of data, especially personal data, as an insurance that will enhance the prosperity of Ndi Anambra in the short run, as well as ensure that on a long run, more businesses flourish in the state.
In his response, the NDPC National Commissioner, Dr. Vincent Olatunji promised to support Anambra State through the ICT Agency, in its plan to make the state a technology-driven state.
Highpoint of the visit was the presentation of a copy of the Data Protection Act – 2023 to the MD/CEO of the Anambra ICT Agency by the NDPC National Commissioner, who was too excited to partner with the State.
