News
Appoint Experts To Manage Lagos Data Protection Commission, Stakeholders task LASG
Appoint Experts To Manage Lagos Data Protection Commission, Stakeholders task LASG
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The preponderance of views of critical stakeholders in the digital economy sector in Lagos State, tilted towards imposition of heavy fines on private and public data handlers who compromised standards, while urging that experts be drafted to manage the proposed Lagos State Data Protection Commission.
The stakeholders took this stance at a public hearing organized by the Lagos State House of Assembly, to enact a law that would ensure the protection of personal information through data to guarantee their safety.
The proposed law titled, ‘A Bill for a Law to promote the protection of personal information processed by public and private bodies, establish minimum requirements for the processing and protection of personal information, establish the data protection commission and for Connected purposes.’
Almost all the stakeholders who spoke at the parley held in the Assembly’s pavilion urged the House to look into the provision for annual registration, saying that in the process of protecting data, ease of doing business should not be hampered.
Tojuola Yusuf opined that data protection expertise should be considered in the membership of the Board for the Commission.
Dr Rachel Akangbe said, clause 29 which deals with destruction of data should be reviewed, while opting for data disposal instead of data destruction.
She noted that appointment of experts with cognate experience as secretary and special adviser is of paramount importance.
They called for proper representation of the professional in the governing board of the data protection commission adding that registration should be done once and not reviewed yearly as stated in the proposed bill.
In what appears a rallying point participants suggested that the fines for data protection law defaulters be pegged at N2 million minimum and N10million maximum depending on the degree of breaches.
Barrister Olajide Omosanya advocates for increment in fine, saying “We need to have a slightly higher fine like N5million or N10 million or we have exemplary damages depending on the breaches.”
While giving the overview of the Bill, the Leader of the House, Hon Sanai Agunbiade said, the part of II of the Bill, “seeks to establish Lagos State Data Protection Commission, which has shall among other functions ensure that personal data is collected, held or processed in a manner as not to infringe on the privacy of a data subject.”
In the interpretation of the Bill, a data subject is any person who can be identified, directly or indirectly, by reference to an identification number or one or more factors specific to such person’s physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social identity.
The Leader added, “In part III, clause 12, the Commission may by notice in writing served on any person such information as is necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions under this Law, in a form that is visible, legible and easy to move.
“In clause 5, “Any person who without reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to comply with a requirement specified in a notice, or who furnishes to the Commission an information known to be false or misleading in a material particular, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N1,000,000 or to a term not exceeding two years or both.
“In clause 16(1), the Commission may apply to the Court for an order for the expeditious preservation of data, including traffic data, where it has reasonable grounds to believe that such data is vulnerable to loss or modification.
“In clause 20, an authorized officer may enter and search any premises for the purpose of discharging any function or exercising any powers under this Law.”
He explained that “It however provided a proviso that such authorized person shall not enter or search premises without providing to the owner, a warrant issued by a magistrate.
“Anyone who obstructs an officer to enter for or provide assistance for relevant information.or gives misleading information commits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding N1,000,000 or term not exceeding two years or both.”
The Deputy Speaker, Hon Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who spoke on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said the proposed law would not run contrary to Act of national Assembly, citing that every law made at the federal level could be domesticated in the States.
The Deputy Speaker said one of such laws was the Child Right Act already domesticated in Lagos State, noting that “where we have legislative competence, the laws of the states will not run contrary to national Assembly Act.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman House Committee on Science and Technology, Hon Afinni Suleiman said the advent of social media has enabled information to be shared easily, saying however there are advantages and disadvantages associated with the trend.
He explained that one of the disadvantages of the information shared as to do with fake news and unpermitted use of private data.
Special Adviser on Science and Technology Olatunji Alake who muted the stakeholders forum idea said that professional bodies will be constituted to give more flesh to the bill.
News
Food Security: NITDA, USAID to Partner in Tackling Food Insecurity
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
With over 70 million arable land enough to feed not just Nigeria but Africa, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that the Agency is willing to partner with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and relevant stakeholders to tackle food insecurity in Nigeria.
The Director General made this known while receiving representatives from USAID led by Josh Woodard Senior Digital Advisor Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
The purpose of the visit was to have a rapid landscape assessment of digital agriculture in Nigeria and partner with NITDA.
Inuwa said, “One of President Tinubu’s areas of focus is boosting agriculture to achieve food security, and at NITDA we were set up to develop the National IT Policy, and IT policy is not just about developing IT but developing IT to boost productivity across all critical sectors including agriculture.”
“That is why we do a lot of initiatives in trying to see how we can build an agriculture Strategy with IT in mind and make it a more attractive business to the younger generation,” he added.
Inuwa stated that NITDA has identified six emerging technologies, that will aid in achieving food security in Nigeria. He said “We have an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy co-creation workshop going on, which started on Monday, where we are working with the ecosystem to develop a strategy on how to use AI in agriculture, health, education, and so on.
“We are working on how to use the Internet of Things, (IoT) in agriculture for crop monitoring, soil monitoring, precision irrigation, climate monitoring livestock monitoring, and so on.”
“We are working using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, (UAVs) to facilitate pest detection, water control, yield assessment, and so on.”
We are working on using Blockchain for the traceability of farm produce from farm to store, record keeping, quality assurance, and so on.”
“We are working on using Robotics to enhance productivity in agriculture in terms of automation of physical farm processing like weeding, harvesting, tractors, and many more.”
“For additive manufacturing, we are working on using it to upscale our manufacturing industry in the Agricultural sector for the production of crop and soil monitoring devices, customised equipment, and many more.”
Speaking on NITDA’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria develops its digital offering in-country, Inuwa noted that the Nigeria Startup Portal was launched during the week with over 12,000 startups registered so far. He said they would be labelled after which they could have access to incentives.
Earlier Josh Woodard, USAID said that the meeting was to enable USAID to have first-hand information on what Nigeria is doing in digital farming to see how to enhance the integration of digital technology in agriculture.
He revealed that USAID recently launched the Global Food Security Strategy for Nigeria (2024 -2029) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
He said, “We want to work with all stakeholders to ensure food security in Nigeria.”
The meeting discussed the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) in relation to the success stories the initiative has recorded, the expansion strategy it is adopting and call on the USAID to be part of the initiatives.
News
NITDA, NIMC TO PARTNER ON PKI, DPI
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
To further strengthen the Nigeria cyberspace and enhance the digital trust as enshrined in the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0, the Agency has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC) on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with the aim of enhancing digital identity, payment ecosystem and secure seamless exchange of data in the country.
The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa with the DG of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote during a working visit to her Commission in Abuja
NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, made this known during a working visit to his counterpart, the NIMC Director General, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote to discuss the various initiatives that centered around the building of DPI stacks for a secure and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
While emphasising that the collaboration will harness the potential of the technology innovation ecosystem, he maintained that the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) will also help to drive the Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
He used the opportunity to provide insights into NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan stating that NITDA is evolving and that has informed the decision of the Agency to keep re-imagining itself.
He noted that the Agency recently re-crafted its vision and mission to reflect the current realities in the industry.
Inuwa further explained that the NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027) 2.0 is anchored on eight pillars which include; Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talents, Building a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Frameworks, Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services, Enhancing Cybersecurity and Digital Trust, Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forging Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations, and Cultivating a Vibrant Organisational Culture with an Agile Workforce.
In her remarks, the NIMC’s Director General, expressed the enthusiasm of the Commission to collaborate with NITDA in advancing the digital economy sector stating that “no institutions can implement all its policies and programs in isolation, we need each other to achieve the set targets.”
Engr. Coker further informed the gathering that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a circular on data integration and harmonisation of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and on PKI for growth and development of the country.
The highlight of the meeting was the inauguration of a 12-man committee that is saddled with the responsibility of kick-starting and harmonising the initiatives and the committee is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report in the coming weeks.
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