There is no doubt that the huge amount of data generated through
the electronic systems in the ICT and Telecoms sectors (including
the financial sector) creates several unique problems such as
storage loss, identity theft, web attacks, unlawful and
unauthorized use of personal information, etc. However, the key
question is whether there are adequate legal safeguards and
framework to protect customers from unauthorized use of personal
information, loss of information or fraudulent use of same. Data
protection laws exist to strike a balance between the rights of
individuals to privacy and the ability of companies to use data for
the purposes of their business.
Regrettably, Nigeria does not have a specific or comprehensive
data protection Law, comparable to other countries like South
Africa, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of
America, despite the repeated calls by industry stakeholders for
its enactment.
