News

Data Protection Act: Telcos, Banks Risk Paying Heavy Fines

Published

11 months ago

June 29, 2023

Editor

Banks and telecommunications companies in Nigeria risk paying heavy fines in billions as the National Data Protection Commission, NDPC begins an investigation into their alleged data breaches.

This follows an avalanche of complaints received by the NDPC in the last few weeks, bothering on unlawful data processing, unauthorized access to personal data, and violation of data subjects’ rights.

Under Part 10 of the newly signed Data Protection Act 2023, a data controller with a turnover of 200 billion naira yearly may pay as high as 2 billion naira which represents 2 percent of the gross revenue.

In addition, offenders also risk up to 1-year jail term.

Vanguard gathered that the Commission is currently investigating data controllers of major commercial banks such as GT Bank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank, Zenith Bank, Leadway Insurance, and Babcock University among others.

It was also gathered that many micro-finance banks are yet to align their operations with the dictates of data privacy and protection.

Similarly, “Loan Sharks” have come under scrutiny lately with Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission mandating privacy compliance and clearance by NDPC before granting approval to online lenders.

Our findings also revealed that the Commission is currently investigating over 400 complaints in the online lending sector.

Soko Loan is already working on a comeback to the digital lending market, though it is yet to receive the nod of NDPC.

It will be recalled that the leadership of the Commission had in various fora explained the measures for ensuring compliance with data protection rules and regulations.

The Commission said it prioritizes awareness more than the scorched earth enforcement process.

To achieve this, however, the Commission said some banks, a state government agency, and a few data controllers had to go through a remediation process to ensure adequate compliance.

With the new Data Protection Act, the Commission has been handed a strong legal weapon to rein in abusers of citizens’ privacy and other forms of data breach.
VANGUARD

News

BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Clerk Disowns Pro-Fubara Faction, Insists Amaewhule Is Speaker

Published

10 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, has disowned the pro-Governor Sim Fubara’s faction of the Assembly.

Amadi insisted that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Martin Amaewhule.

The clerk said the three members of the assembly loyal to Fubara—Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari and Hon. Adolphus Orubimie Timothy—were suspended on October 30, 2023, and they cannot lay claim to be officers of the House.

On Thursday, some lawmakers appointed Jumbo as the new Speaker of the Assembly.

News

Suspension Of Enigies: Court Grants Benin Monarch’s Prayer To Join BTC

Published

55 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has granted the prayer of Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to include Benin Traditional Council as a defendant in a suit between him and some suspended Enigie (Dukes) in Benin kingdom.

Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Benin monarch’s prayer at the resumed hearing of the suit on Thursday.

The suspended Enigie that took the Oba of Benin to court are Professor Gregory Akenzua, Enigie of Evbuobanosa, Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, Egbaen Siluko Dukedoms in Benin Kingdom, on behalf of others.

The suspended Enigies are challenging their suspension by the Oba of Benin at the Edo State High Court.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argued that only the state governor can remove them from their positions.

In his ruling, Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Oba of Benin’s prayer to include the Benin Traditional Council as the 3rd defendant in the suit marked, B/250os/2023, while Oba Ewuare II and Edo State Government, are the 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.

Akhihiero, however, urged the defendants’ counsel not to worry about the timing, insisting that “the race is not for the swift, or the battle for the strong”.

“If they were bringing in the Traditional Council as necessary, I don’t see this as a problem since you people have brought the Oba to court.

“I don’t think I can shut down any party. Let them come in and file their processes,” he added.

He, however, adjourned the case to July 15, 2024.

News

Why I Visited Rivers Assembly Quarters – Fubara

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has explained that his visit to the residential quarters of the State House of Assembly was to undertake on-the-spot assessment of condition of the structures for a possible rehabilitation work to restore its status and make it habitable.

The Governor had made a brief stop at the Assembly Quarters yesterday enroute Emohua – Abalama -Tema Junction on inspection of the 15.24 kilometers long dual carriageway road project.

According a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara, who spoke after the inspection stated that the assembly quarters is part of state government properties, adding that the facility needs to be taken good care of.

He noted that the state now has a new speaker for the State House of Assembly, noting that his visit was to see what were necessary to be done.

Fubara, who took a walk round the facility, said that he decided to visit the place to get better appreciation of what needs to be done to make the quarters conducive for lawmakers.

The Governor said: “Is the Assembly quarters not part of my property? Is there anything wrong in going to check how things are going on there? You are aware of the developments. We have a new speaker, and I went there to see for my myself how things are. There might be a few things I might want to do there for the good of our people.”

The Governor speaking on the road project, said he was assessing the extent of job that had been done to know what else was needed in preparing the road for commissioning during his one year anniversary.

He pointed out that the road project was inherited from the immediate past administration but a greater chunk of the cost was borne by his administration.

“As a matter of fact, we added this section of the road as one of the projects we will be commissioning. So, I needed to see it myself, and what is remaining is just the lighting. By the grace of God, we will commission it.”

“We feel justified to add it as our project and to commission it for the good of our people here. Governance is all about the people. When the people are out of the centre of governance, then it is no longer governance.

“So, this road, as we all now know, was in a very bad state. A lot of criminal activities were being carried out here: kidnapping and all sorts of things. So, putting this road in order is appropriate,” he said.

The Governor further added: “You can see the little hour we spent coming here. Before, it takes you 30 to 45 minutes to drive from Emohua to this place. But look at it, less than 15 minutes we are here. So, it is about the people, the good of the people, making life easy for the people. That is the way I see governance. Anything outside that has nothing to do with me.”