The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has formed a strategic partnership with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in response to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to protect information under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023.
President Tinubu signed the NDP Act into law on June 12, 2023, a watershed moment in the country’s data security efforts and digital economy transformation, as detailed in the President’s 8-point program.
The President emphasized the importance of statistics in national growth, saying, “We must let our data speak for us.” We must publish verified datasets in Nigeria and share them in internationally accepted repositories. This would enable worldwide benchmarking bodies to track our development in real time, allowing us to increase our position on the global stage.”
In line with this directive, the National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, received the Registrar/CEO of the MDCN, Prof. Fatima Kyari, and her team during a working visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
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Prof. Kyari praised Dr Olatunji for his leadership in advancing Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem and highlighted the MDCN’s responsibility for maintaining the national register of medical practitioners and securing sensitive health records.
She cautioned that any compromise of the Council’s data systems could pose national security risks. The MDCN is therefore seeking NDPC’s guidance on policy development to ensure compliance with international data protection and privacy standards. Key areas of interest include digital health policy, data governance frameworks, and capacity building for staff. The Council affirmed its commitment to the ethical and lawful management of sensitive information.
Dr Olatunji commended the MDCN’s proactive approach and acknowledged the extreme sensitivity of health-related data. He warned of the potential consequences of poor data protection, including misdiagnosis, patient stigmatisation, and fatalities.
He assured the MDCN of the Commission’s willingness to collaborate fully in fostering a culture of data privacy and protection within the health sector.
To formalise this partnership, both agencies have set up a working group to deepen collaboration, culminating in the drafting and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the protection of personal health information across the country.
Dr Olatunji also hosted a high-level delegation from Kano State, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr Yusuf Ibrahim Koformata, on behalf of the Governor, His Excellency Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The visit, intended to speed up Kano’s implementation of the NDP Act, provided an opportunity for the NDPC to give vital insights into the national data security ecosystem. Dr. Olatunji emphasized the Commission’s commitment to assisting state-level measures to promote data security and legal compliance.
