The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has disclosed plans to seek a review of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 to accommodate emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and big data, as the country seeks to strengthen its regulatory framework in line with rapid technological advancements.
The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, according to Nairametrics, revealed this in Abuja on Friday during activities marking the third anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law on June 12, 2023.
According to Olatunji, the accelerating pace of digital innovation has made it imperative to revisit some provisions of the Act to ensure that they adequately address the realities of today’s technology-driven environment.
He explained that when the legislation was initially drafted, many of the technologies currently transforming the global digital economy were still in their early stages, making it difficult for lawmakers to provide detailed provisions beyond broad references to emerging technologies.
Olatunji noted that the time had come for the law to move beyond generic descriptions and specifically identify technologies that now play critical roles in economic and social development.
