Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a pan-African NGO, has called for stronger enforcement of existing laws and a greater commitment to protecting Nigerians’ data and digital rights PIN executive director, Mr Gbenga Sesan, made the call while addressing a news conference on a report by the NGO, highlighting the state of digital rights and inclusion in Nigeria, on Thursday in Abuja.
PIN is an organisation committed shipping policy and building capacity to promoting digital environment towards a digitally inclusive and rightsrespecting world. Sesan, raising concerns that data protection remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, called for seriousness on the part of government in handling the matter.
He said in spite of the enactment of the Data Protection Act of 2023, there had been widespread concerns about its enforcement. He said there had been a consistent sensitivity citizens data leak online for three years now, where data including high profile political leaders and security personnel in the country were available for sale online cheaply.
The personal data according includes the National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and other sensitive information. He said that while Nigeria had made advancements in technology, digital rights such privacy, online protection, freedom of expression and access to information, were increasingly under threat in Nigeria.
He said that arbitrary internet disruptions, weak enforcement of data protection, surveillance, and inconsistent digital policies, have continue to weaken citizens’ trust and hinder the country’s digital growth and potential.
He highlighted Stemming the Tide of Abuse in Nigeria’s Digital Space (STANDS) Project as having been instrumental in delivering immense transformative change, positively influencing Nigeria’s digital rights landscape.
