Introduction
Companies in the European Union (the "EU") have been
preparing for 25 May 2018, the much anticipated date when the
EU's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR")
became effective. The purpose of the GDPR is to regulate how
personal data is processed, wholly or partly, by automated means
and regulating those persons that collect and process such data.
This means that any personal data or information relating to an
identified or identifiable person (such as their name, background,
employment history, identification number, localization, income,
cultural profile and other information) cannot be collected,
recorded, organized, structured, stored, used, transferred, adapted
or altered, or otherwise processed unless such processing is in
line with the GDPR. The GDPR applies to Nigerian companies that are
processing the personal data of individuals within the EU. As such,
Nigerian data controllers and processors must seek the consent of
individuals within the
