By: News Peddlers
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| TWITTER; FACEBOOK; INSTAGRAM; CBN |
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has said it is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on its new directives to commercial banks to collect their customers' social media handles.
This was revealed by NDPC national commissioner Vincent Olatunji in a statement issued by its spokesperson Itunu Dosekun on Thursday.
"We are already engaging with the CBN to let them know that what they have done is against the law because there are basic principles you must meet when you want to collect citizens' data," the NDPC chief stated.
As part of enhanced Customer Due Diligence (CDD) regulations, the CBN directed banks on June 26 to obtain customers' social media handles.
Before the establishment of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA) on June 12, indiscriminate collection of citizens' data by data controller organisations was not taken seriously, according to Mr Olatunji.
He explained that any data controller must take certain steps before collecting data from data subjects, emphasising that any organisation that fails to do so is breaking the law, causing a data breach, and will be fined.
"Because we are pro-citizens, there are provisions in the law to go after any data controller, whether private or government office, NGOs, or hotels. The entire purpose of this law is to protect the rights and interests of Nigerian data subjects," Mr Olatunji explained.
He mentioned "data minimisation," which means "not collecting data beyond the purpose for which it was intended, purpose limitation, what purpose is it for."
The NDPC boss believes that asking for social media handles is unnecessary. However, he stated that if the collection of social media handles occurred in the public interest, which could include monitoring some transactions, customers should be made aware.
Mr Olatunji went on to say that the NDPC would look into why the CDD regulation was brought up and how best to resolve it in accordance with global best practises.
(NAN)