Experts Blame Weak Law Enforcement For Digital Rights Violation

A Digital Rights expert Friday Odeh has attributed weak enforcement of existing laws and limited public awareness to increase in digital rights violation of Nigerians.

Odeh who is the Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, disclosed this in Makurdi during a One-Day Digital Rights Roundtable Engagement for Civil Society Organizations,(CSOs) Government officials and the media in Benue State. He described digital privacy as a critical factor in safeguarding individual rights and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Odeh informed that the impact of  breaches on data privacy and trust can lead to loss of personal financial information, damage to reputation and customer trust, regulatory and legal consequences as well as long term repercussions.

According to him, “the objectives of Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 is to protect  citizens  personal data and promote trust in Nigeria digital economy based on this, we are here to create foundational understanding and make data protection, digital rights and data privacy an issue of public concern for all to be aware and know where to report when their data privacy rights are violated.”

He pointed out that despite the enactment of data protection laws, such as the Data Protection Act, DPA, 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR, significant gaps still remained in public awareness and enforcement.

He said, “Many individuals are unaware of their rights, while data administrators and collectors often fail to uphold their responsibilities in safeguarding sensitive information.

“Additionally, breaches of personal data frequently go unreported, leaving individuals vulnerable to exploitation.

“At the grassroots level, data privacy violations have become increasingly prevalent, often occurring without the victims’ awareness.

“So this workshop aims to bridge that gap by equipping CSOs in Benue State with the knowledge and tools to understand the legal frameworks governing data privacy and freedom of expression in Nigeria and advocate for stronger data protection policies and enforcement.

“We also want Benue  citizens to be aware that  data privacy rights violations can be reported on a platform called Ripoti platform which will be taking up to hold key actors accountable for data privacy breaches.”

While acknowledging the importance of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, NDPA, 2023 to protect the digital space, the country director noted that the NDPA “serves as a strong foundation but requires strong implementation and public awareness to be effective” hence the roundtable engagement in the state.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from CSOs,  government officials and media professionals who commended the organisers for the enlightenment which they said was apt given the increasing fraudulent activities on the digital space with its negative impact on Nigerians.