OneTrust DataGuidance confirmed, on 20 August 2020, with Olumide Babalola, Managing Partner at Olumide Babalola LP, that the National Information Technology Development Agency ('NITDA') had published the draft Data Protection Bill 2020 ('the Draft Bill') for public comments. 

In particular, the Draft Bill aims primarily to promote a code of practice that ensures the privacy and protection of personal data without unduly undermining the legitimate interests of commercial organisations and government security agencies to collect such data, and to minimise the harmful effect of personal data misuse or abuse of data subjects and other victims, as well as ensuring that personal data is processed in a transparent, fair, and lawful manner, in accordance with the data protection principles stipulated in the Draft Bill or any other legislation. In addition, the Draft Bill aims to establish the Data Protection Commissioner, an impartial, independent, and effective regulatory authority that will coordinate data protection and privacy issues and superintend over data controllers and data processors within the private and public sectors.

Furthemore, the Draft Bill outlines its scope, the basic principles and legal bases for processing, and the duties of data controllers and processors. Moreover, the Draft Bill highlights offences which can incur penalties or sanctions, including monetary penalties. 

Finally, Babalola stated that comments on the Draft Bill can be submitted via email to [email protected] or by post addressed to: The Secretariat, Legal & Regulatory Reform Working Group, First Floor (Room 125), National Identity Management Commission,11 Sokode Crescent, Off Dalaba Street, Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja by 10 September 2020.

You can read the Draft Bill here.

UPDATE (21 August 2020)

NIMC issues public invitation to comment on Draft Bill

The National Identity Management Commission ('NIMC') issued, on 20 August 2020, a public invitation to comment on the Draft Bill. In particular, the NIMC highlighted that as part of the processes leading up to the enactment of the Draft Bill, interested persons are hereby invited to submit written comments by no later than 10 September 2020.

Comment can be submitted at [email protected].

You can read the press release here.