The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has described data privacy as a fundamental national value that underpins human dignity, public trust and responsible citizenship.
Issa-Onilu made the statement at the Second Data Privacy Summit 2026, organised by the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), where key stakeholders gathered to examine privacy concerns in the age of emerging technologies.
He stressed that data protection goes beyond technical and regulatory frameworks, noting that it aligns closely with the NOA’s mandate to shape public attitudes and promote moral and civic values as enshrined in the National Values Charter.
According to him, the Charter upholds principles such as dignity, integrity, accountability and respect for fundamental human rights, both offline and online. He added that integrating civic education into data protection initiatives would help produce ethically aware and digitally responsible citizens.
In her goodwill message, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Wilson-Jack, said the rapid advancement of emerging technologies was transforming governance and service delivery, making data protection central to ethical governance, accountability and sustainable innovation.
Also speaking at the summit, the Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, Commissioner of Police Uche Henry, described data as the “new product” powering modern institutions and national security. He highlighted ongoing efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to tackle cybercrime and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address growing trust and security challenges.
Meanwhile, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) reassured Nigerians of the safety of their personal information. Represented by its Head of ICT, Lanre Yusuf, who delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the commission disclosed that over 128 million citizens have so far been enrolled under the National Identification Number (NIN) system.
