Buhari approves creation of data protection bureau, appoints Olatunji as CEO

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Vincent Olatunji as the national commissioner/chief executive officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB).

Olatunji’s appointment followed a recommendation by Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy.

The appointment was made known in a statement signed by Uwa Suleiman, spokesperson of the minister, on Friday.

According to the statement, the president approved the establishment of NDPB to enhance data protection and privacy.

Olatunji holds a PhD in geography and planning from the University of Lagos and an advanced diploma in computer science.

Before his appointment, he was the director of e-government development and regulation department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“The successful implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a digital Nigeria has significantly increased the adoption of data platforms and accelerated the datafication of our society,” the statement reads.

“Furthermore, the issuance of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in January 2019, as a subsidiary legislation to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) act 2007, has increased awareness about the need for data protection and privacy. The bureau will be responsible for consolidating the gains of the NDPR and supporting the process for the development of a primary legislation for data protection and privacy.

“President Buhari also approves the recommendation of the minister of communications and figital economy, professor Pantami, for Dr. Vincent Olatunji to serve as the national commissioner/chief executive officer of the bureau. Dr. Olatunji hails from Ekiti state and, at the time of his appointment, was the director of the e-government development and regulations department at NITDA. The appointment takes effect immediately.”