Four Banks Lending Apps, A Network Provider, And Others Run The Danger Of Criminal Liability Due To Data Abuse.

The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) is investigating around 110 data controllers and processors for their data processing operations.

Four banks, online lending businesses, one telecom business, and a gaming business are among the enterprises under investigation, according to the data bureau.

NDPB stated during a news conference on Monday that there has been a pattern of abuses that violate section 37 of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation.

Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPB, claims that the bureau is more concerned with how data is handled in the financial and telecom industries.

Despite his assertions to the contrary, Olatunji claimed that the businesses on its investigative list face the possibility of civil or criminal consequences as a result of their actions and inactions.

We are looking into more than 110 data controllers and processors for varying degrees of privacy and data protection violations.

The financial and telecom sectors are the most concerning. Investigations are being conducted against four banks, internet lending businesses, a telecom business, and a gaming business. Due in part to the powers of intrusive mobile apps, these sectors are highly vulnerable.

“When you take into account data controllers’ lack of attention in hiring data processors or suppliers that have access to consumers’ personal data, what you see in In some instances, there is a pattern of violations of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution’s Section 37 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation.

Olatunji added that the bureau has filed the executive bill for the Nigeria Data Protection Bill to the National Assembly in the hopes that it will be passed before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office in May 2023.