A SURVEY OF THE NIGERIAN PERSONAL DATA AND PRIVACY PROTECTION LAWS

Abstract

Global indices show that Nigeria has grown tremendously over the years in technology adoption which thriveson collection, processing, storage and transmission of huge amounts of citizens’ data. However, the absence ofrobust legal and institutional frameworks in the country that address the crises and disputes arising fromelectronic data processing is exacerbating concerns of trust and confidence among technology users in Nigeria.This is so even in the presence of fragments of data protection legislations. Consequently, this chapter analysedthe existing fragments of data protection and privacy laws and regulations in Nigeria, causes and consequencesof data breaches, challenges of developing data protection legislations in developing countries, identified gaps inthe existing laws and proffer recommendations for a principal data privacy and protection legislation andestablishment of a data protection authority that will drive the implementation of the principal data protectionlaws.