Nigeria Data Protection Commission CEO, Dr Vincent Olatunji, discusses alleged data breaches, the INEC voter data leak probe, enforcement efforts, localisation policies, emerging technologies, and key achievements in this interview with SAMI TUNJI
How has the NDPC handled investigations into the various data protection issues that have recently emerged, including allegations involving INEC and other institutions?
Investigation is a process. In the privacy ecosystem, you have to be extremely careful and diligent in the way you conduct investigations. We do not just pick information from social media and immediately take action because something is trending. There are established procedures and steps that we follow.
What is important is that there is no breach reported to us that we have not acted on, whether it involves a government institution or a private organisation. We investigate every report properly and thoroughly before reaching any conclusion.
People sometimes ask why we do not make public announcements immediately whenever an allegation surfaces. The reason is simple; we have moved beyond that stage. The important thing is not announcing that you are investigating; the important thing is doing the work properly. Even when a matter eventually goes to court, nobody can be pronounced guilty until due process has been followed. That is why we are meticulous in the way we conduct investigations.
