The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has raised concerns over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN)’s recent directive to banks, which requires them to obtain customers’ social media handles as part of enhanced Customer Due Diligence (CDD) regulations. According to the NDPC, this directive is in violation of the law.
The commission is currently in discussions with the CBN regarding this matter, as there are certain fundamental principles that must be followed when collecting citizens’ data. The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, highlighted that prior to the establishment of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA) on June 12, there was not enough emphasis placed on the responsible collection of citizens’ data by Data Controller Organizations.
The NDPA, signed into law by President Tinubu, includes provisions for the processing of personal data. These guidelines stipulate that personal data should be collected in a fair, lawful, and transparent manner. Furthermore, data collection should be limited to the minimum necessary for the intended purpose and should not be retained for longer than required.
