The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched a fresh effort to protect patient data/ personal information by offering free training to health workers across Nigeria.
This move follows a strategic partnership between the NDPC and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. During a working visit in Abuja, NDPC’s National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, met with the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to discuss how best to protect sensitive medical records in the digital age.
Dr Olatunji said the training will help health workers understand how to keep patient data safe from leaks or misuse. “The health sector is very sensitive,” he said. “If people’s medical records are exposed, it can lead to discrimination or even wrong treatment. That’s why we must protect it.”
He stressed that with the increase in digital systems, hospitals, HMOs, and other healthcare facilities must put strong measures in place to secure patient data/information. “Every time you use a digital platform, you leave a trail. We must make sure that trail is protected,” he added.
The training will be carried out by licensed professionals and is aimed at building a solid foundation for data privacy knowledge within the healthcare sector.
In response, Professor Pate expressed his full support. “Our facilities collect a lot of sensitive data every day. This partnership will help ensure that our systems are secure and compliant,” he said. He also invited NDPC to speak at the next national meeting of Chief Medical Directors.
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Dr Olatunji also shared how far Nigeria has come in its data protection journey — from the early 2019 regulations to the new Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023). He revealed that the data protection sector has now grown into a N10 billion industry, with over 10,000 certified professionals. But with more than 500,000 organizations handling personal data across Nigeria, there’s still a large gap to cover and many job opportunities.
This collaboration supports President Bola Tinubu’s plan to create 2 million jobs in the digital economy. NDPC says training more Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in healthcare is a key step in achieving that goal.
As part of next steps, both agencies agreed to set up a team to carry out the new partnership and help healthcare institutions meet data protection standards.
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