Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), shed light on the significance of data protection in the digital economy during the recent pre-launch of the National Privacy Awareness Campaign.

Speaking at the ’50 Most Valuable Personalities in Nigeria’s Digital Economy Conference & Award’ in Lagos, Olatunji emphasized the crucial role data protection plays in fostering a thriving digital economy. He underscored the commitment of NDPC to raising awareness among citizens regarding data protection principles, essential for ensuring compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

He said, “we firmly believe that awareness is a pre-condition for compliance and the ability of all operators including Licensed DPCOs to effectively do their tasks as prescribed by the law – Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. Therefore, I want to recommend the NSDPA to reach out for support of associations such as ALDAPCON as critical stakeholders in the data protection ecosystem.

“What we expect in the weeks and months ahead is that the message of data protection will begin to run deep in corporate Nigeria and rural settlements and semi-urban centres across the country”

The National Privacy Awareness Campaign is anchored by the Nigerian Stakeholders for Data Protection Awareness (NSDPA).

The pre-launch ceremony which held as part of the highlights of the 50 MVPS event attracted stakeholders from various sectors, including the leadership and members of prominent associations such as the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), and the Association of Licensed Data Protection Organisations of Nigeria (ALDAPCON).

Olatunji highlighted the necessity of awareness as a precursor to compliance, stressing the importance of collaboration with critical stakeholders like ALDAPCON to enhance data protection practices across corporate Nigeria and local communities.

Sani Ahmed Yaro, Zonal Coordinator of the Nigerian Stakeholders for Data Protection Awareness (NSDPA), shared plans for a national campaign aimed at educating every Nigerian on data privacy. He was represented by Delmwa Gogwim, a senior executive of the NSDPA.

Ivan Anya, Chairman of ALDAPCON, echoed similar sentiment, affirming the pivotal role of awareness in optimizing the functions of licensed Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs).

Nigeria’s digital economy and opportunities for young people

Furthermore, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda presented insights on Nigeria’s digital economy and opportunities for young people. He highlighted the transformative potential of emerging technologies like the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and robotics in revolutionizing various sectors.

People’ by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, Nigeria has a good chance to leapfrog its economy by leveraging the unfolding opportunitiesin the technology realm.

His words: “the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) presents a transformative opportunity for Nigeria to harness the power of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotics to revolutionize various sectors, from agriculture and healthcare to manufacturing and security.”

Prof. Yilwatda, a scholar and politician, said Nigeria must intentionally prepare its youths for the vast opportunities in the digital economy.

He said “Some of the opportunities available for young people in the digital economy space are a fertile ground for young entrepreneurs to launch innovative startups and digital businesses. From e-commerce ventures and fintech solutions to digital content creation and marketing.

Adding: “Young entrepreneurs can leverage emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things to develop cutting-edge solutions across various sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, and security… Between 2016 and 2019, Nigeria spent a staggering N3.35 trillion on agricultural imports, while exports remained meager at N803 billion. Leveraging 4IR technologies such as precision agriculture, smart farming, and data analytics could potentially revolutionize this sector, boosting productivity and efficiency.

The other opportunities are employment and freelancing: The rise of remote work and the gig economy has opened up new avenues for employment and freelancing opportunities for Nigeria’s youth. With the global remote jobs market expected to reach $100 billion by 2032, young Nigerians can leverage their digital skills to secure lucrative remote roles in areas such as web development, digital marketing, virtual assistance, and many more.

Furthermore, as companies across sectors embrace digital transformation and 4IR technologies, there is an increasing demand for professionals with specialized digital skills, such as data analysts, cybersecurity experts, software developers, robotics engineers, and artificial intelligence specialists. Young Nigerians can position themselves for these high-growth job opportunities by acquiring relevant digital skills and staying abreast of emerging technological trends.”

Prof. Yilwatda said Nigeria can unlock the transformative power of its digital economy and position itself as a global leader in this rapidly evolving space by investing in youths and digital infrastructures.

 ‘Myths and Realities of Nigerian Digital Economy’

Additionally, Ike Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty Nigeria, challenged policymakers and stakeholders to debunk myths surrounding the Nigerian digital economy. He identified key misconceptions, including exaggerated claims about Nigeria’s data center market and its position in Africa’s digital landscape.

Nnamani acknowledged, “Nigeria is undergoing accelerated digitization of the consumer and enterprise economies, in turn driving demand for people with digital skills, data center capacity and attracting new providers into the market.”

However, the myths of its digital economy present challenges and opportunities for government, policy makers and other stakeholders including operators to stir the country to progress and ‘shared prosperity.’ He identified five myths associated with the country’s digital economy.

He itemized the five myths  in this order:

Myth #1: Nigeria has excess number and capacity on subsea cables

The fact demonstrated by the “recent subsea cables cut shows more redundancy needed,” Nnamani told an audience of ICT/Telecoms CEOs and political though leaders.

Myth #2: Nigeria has strong cloud services and local cloud infrastructure

This is clearly not the reality on ground. While there are significant numbers of cloud infrastructure providers, the gaps for cloud services remain extensive and largely unmet.

Myth #3: The Digital Economy will be primarily driven by Telcos –  While this myth may have been reinforced by deliberate policy attention on telcos and the huge mobile subscriptions in excess of 200 million, a mix of factors including the technology shift to 5G with onward progression to 6G and the rise of hyperscalers would mean that the digital economy will be beyond telcos as sole markers of growth.

Myth #4: Nigeria’s datacenter market has matured. Nnamani emphasized: “the fact is that Nigeria is the country with largest datacentre potential in Africa but currently lagging behind smaller economies as the table shows. There is tendency for regular exaggeration of the growth curve for datacentres that often play down the significant growth of datacentres and impact in other economies within the continent.

Myth #5: Nigeria’s GDP makes it the leader in Africa digital economy.  Nigeria’s ranking as the largest economy does not equate to the largest d

The 50MVPs is organised by IT Edge News, to highlight challenges and trends in the sector as well as honour trailblazers and steadfast leaders who have propelled the digital economy forward despite formidable obstacles.

“This is the time to highlight progress, examine challenges, rework partnerships, and recognise icons, said Olusegun Oruame, Founder of IT Edge News, published since 2024

The ’50 Most Valuable Personalities in Nigeria’s Digital Economy Conference & Award’ serves as a platform to address sectoral challenges, honor industry pioneers, and recognize individuals driving digital innovation in Nigeria, as noted by Olusegun Oruame, Founder of IT Edge News, the event organizer.