By Ayomide Otitoju
The National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, was represented by the Commission’s Head of Research and Development, Dr. Tolulope Pius-Fadipe, at the 2025 Digital Health Interoperability Network Connectathon held at the AfDB Hall of the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Guardians of Health Data: Privacy and Data Protection in a Digital Age,” Dr. Pius-Fadipe outlined core principles guiding the use of emerging technologies in healthcare and the data governance frameworks required to implement them. She highlighted Nigeria’s growing leadership in data governance across Africa, noting the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023 as a foundational tool for safeguarding personal information.
She also identified key national priorities for data security, including the adoption of privacy-preserving technologies. “In a digital age, true progress is not measured by how much data we gather, but by how responsibly we protect it. Let us remain vigilant, ethical, and courageous guardians of health data,” she said.
The NDPC further hosted a workshop on “Privacy by Design (PbD) Principles: NDPC Law’s Mandated Approach to Design,” facilitated by Ms. Fatima Sanni. The session underscored that PbD is a statutory requirement under Nigeria’s data protection law, embedding privacy into systems and processes from inception to ensure robust protection of sensitive information. The Commission noted that widespread adoption of PbD—particularly in healthcare—will strengthen trust and enhance the security of patient data.
