Data Theft: Nigerian Government will protect consumers’ personal data online ─NITDA

*Technology companies get richer through free services, but with the personal data of individual consumers stored online, says Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology Agency

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government has assured that it will protect personal information of the Nigerian consumers online in view of the reported cases of increasing data theft in cyberspace in recent times.

ConsumerConnect reports Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi (CCIE), Director-General, National Information Technology Agency (NITDA), said this while participating in a panel discussion at the 2021 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Photo: Miro.medium.com

Data theft has been described as ‘the act of stealing digital information stored on computers, servers, or electronic devices of an unknown victim with the intent to compromise

It is a growing phenomenon primarily caused by system administrators and office workers with access to technology, such as database servers, desktop computers and a growing list of hand-held devices capable of storing digital information, such as USB flash drives, iPods and even digital cameras.

NITDA in a statement issued Monday, November 1, 2021, said Malam Abdullahi, represented at the forum by Olufemi Daniel, noted that every moment spent on the Internet leaves personal data footprints on the social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) and search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.).

According to the ICT regulatory agency, this development make the companies get richer through yet free services, but with the personal data of individuals already stored online.

Abdullahi also noted that research has shown the value of individual personal data on digital platforms is about $12 per person, thus paving way for technology companies to generate revenue in this regard.