Why SMEs Need Data Protection Compliance Organisation (DPCO)

The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 places responsibilities on organisations that handle personal data, including SMEs and startups. Additionally, customers value data protection, and having the support of a data protection compliance organisation can help these businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors and maintain customer trust.

Article 4.1(4) of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, empowers the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to register and licence Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) to provide data protection compliance services to all organisations which process personal data of Nigerian citizens and residents (this mandate is now being carried out by the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) following its establishment in February 2022).