The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially licensed the Institute of Information Management (IIM) to administer exams and certify future data protection professionals in the country. The announcement was made by NDPC National Commissioner/CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, during a certificate handover ceremony held in Abuja on Monday.
Dr. Olatunji stated that this strategic move aims to address the significant shortfall of over 500,000 professionals in the data protection field and to reduce the costs associated with obtaining certification overseas. “When we started in 2021 by advertising, four organizations applied within the organization. We invited them for presentations, and we are choosing the best.
They have gone through a lot of technical sessions with us, evaluating the platform that they are going to use, discussing with their staff on the process, just to ensure that we have the best for the country,” Olatunji explained.
The initiative is expected to generate more jobs in Nigeria and prevent capital flight. By promoting local certification, the NDPC aims to retain financial resources within the country and foster local expertise. “What the country stands to gain from this process is the fact that we are promoting executive order articles 003 and 005 to promote local content in Nigeria. Most of us who are certified in data protection have international certifications,” Olatunji noted.
The licensing of IIM to certify data protection professionals aligns with the broader goal of building domestic capacity in the data protection sector, enhancing local content, and ensuring Nigeria has a robust framework for data management and security. This development marks a significant step towards self-sufficiency in professional data protection certification and reinforces the NDPC’s commitment to advancing the industry within Nigeria.
