Latest news with #NDPC
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ghana: Mahama calls for consolidated long-term national development plan, echoes Nkrumah's vision
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday inaugurated the 8th National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), tasking the body with creating a unified long-term national development plan that transcends political cycles. The President invoked the legacy of Ghana's first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, emphasising the need for a long-term vision to break free from the country's reliance on primary commodities. 'Nearly 70 years after independence, our economy continues to rely heavily on a narrow range of primary commodities, with limited diversification and value addition,' President Mahama stated. 'This reality reflects the persistence of structural constraints that continue to hold us back—proof that, in many respects, we remain 'prisoners of our past.'' The President highlighted the existence of multiple long-term development frameworks, including the Ghana Beyond Aid Charter, the Ghana@100 Long-term Development Framework, and the Vision 2057 Perspective Framework. He urged the NDPC, now chaired by Dr Nii Moi Thompson, who led the development of the 40-Year National Development Plan in 2017, to consolidate these efforts into a single, coherent plan. 'This must be done in close collaboration with Parliament and the people's representatives,' President Mahama stressed, emphasising the importance of inclusivity and a broad national consensus. The plan, he added, should be subject to regular review to adapt to evolving domestic and global challenges. President Mahama underscored the significance of the NDPC's work, noting its collaboration with the government in preparing the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies, due to be presented to Parliament within two years. 'This Programme will reflect not only the vision and policy priorities of this government but also the collective aspirations of the Ghanaian people,' the President stated. He further clarified that this Coordinated Programme would form the foundation for the next medium-term national development policy framework, guiding the operations of government ministries, departments, agencies, and local assemblies for the next four years. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
Zawya
07-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: NDPC signs MoU with Mastercard to consolidate data protection capacity
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mastercard to consolidate data protection capacity in Nigeria. The MoU was signed by the two organisations at a one-day workshop organised for 150 Data Protection Officers (DPO) on providing hands-on practical training on Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), Section 28, DPIA is defined as a process designed to identify the risks and impacts of the envisaged processing of personal data. The DPIA comprised of a systemic description of an envisaged processing and its purpose, the assessment of the risks to the rights and freedom of data subjects, among other requirements. Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, NDPC, in his remarks said that the workshop was scheduled for the 8th edition of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) conference scheduled for this week. Olatjnji also said that the federal government was committed to increasing the number of certified DPOs with the required skills to manage data protection. He noted that the capacity building would be beneficial to both Nigeria and Mastercard, adding that the country had tech-savvy youths who were digital natives ready to explore. 'Human capital is really key to us and the ecosystem we are regulating is very special, it is still new, still emerging and we need all we can to build the capacity of officers. 'We want to build the capacity of our people so we can be able to deliver on our mandate and fully deepen privacy in Nigeria. 'We are targeting to build the capacity of 250,000 DPOs annually and we are working with partners like Mastercard to achieve that,' he said. He urged the participants to leverage the opportunity, adding that the ecosystem was evolving. The commission, early in the year, started the training of 500 DPOs to bridge the gap in deficit. Mr Derek Ho, Deputy Chief Privacy Officer, AI and Data Responsibility, Mastercard, said that sharing ideas would ensure trust in the digital economy era. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Arabian Post
04-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Meta Faces Regulatory Showdown in Nigeria
Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned it may be compelled to suspend both platforms in Nigeria, citing mounting regulatory pressures and substantial financial penalties imposed by the country's authorities. The warning follows a series of fines levied against Meta by Nigerian regulatory bodies. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission imposed a $220 million fine for alleged anti-competitive practices. Additionally, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria fined Meta $37.5 million for unapproved advertising content, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission issued a $32.8 million penalty for purported breaches of data privacy laws. These fines stem from investigations conducted between May 2021 and December 2023. In legal filings submitted to Nigeria's Federal High Court, Meta indicated that to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures, it might have to 'effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria.' The company has until the end of June to comply with the payment directives. Meta has expressed particular concern over the NDPC's regulatory demands, which include obtaining prior approval before transferring Nigerian user data abroad and integrating educational content on data privacy risks into its platforms. The company has described these requirements as 'unrealistic' and has criticized the commissions' directives as vague and impractical, accusing the NDPC of misinterpreting Nigeria's data protection laws. The FCCPC has defended its actions, stating that the fines are the result of thorough investigations conducted in partnership with the NDPC. The commission emphasized that Meta has been sanctioned for similar breaches in other countries but has 'never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries.'
Free Malaysia Today
04-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Meta fights Nigerian fines, warns could shut Facebook, Instagram
Nigeria fined Meta US$220 million for violating the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. (Reuters pic) NEW YORK : Meta on Saturday vowed to fight Nigerian fines for various consumer data violations, reportedly threatening to cut off Facebook and Instagram in Africa's most populous country. A Nigerian tribunal last week rejected the US social media giant's appeal against a US$220 million fine imposed by the country's consumer protection agency, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). In appeals court papers cited by various media, including the BBC and The Africa Report, Meta said it 'may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures'. Meta's social media platforms – WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram – are among the most popular in the country. Meta has until the end of June to pay the fine, Nigerian media reported. 'We disagree with the NDPC's (Nigerian Data Protection Commission) decision, which fails to take into account the wide range of settings and tools that allow everyone using Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to control how their information is used,' a Meta spokesperson told AFP. 'We're committed to protecting user privacy and have appealed the decision,' the company spokesperson said in an email response. Nigeria had accused Meta of violating the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. FCCPC chief executive officer Adamu Abdullahi had said investigations carried out in conjunction with the NDPC between May 2021 and December 2023 revealed 'invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria'. A WhatsApp spokesperson told AFP on Saturday: 'The FCCPC order contains multiple inaccuracies and misrepresents how WhatsApp works, and we are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal the Tribunal's decision to avoid any impact to users.' On Saturday, the FCCPC described Meta's reaction as 'a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision'. In its statement it said that Meta had been sanctioned for 'similar breaches' in Texas, India, South Korea, France and Australia, but had 'never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed'. 'Threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process,' the statement read. Nigeria had some 164.3 million internet subscriptions as of March, according to figures published on the National Communication Commission's website.
Int'l Business Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Meta Fighting Nigerian Fines, Warns Could Shut Facebook, Instagram
Meta on Saturday vowed to fight Nigerian fines for various consumer data violations, reportedly threatening to cut off Facebook and Instagram in Africa's most populous country. A Nigerian tribunal last week rejected the US social media giant's appeal against a $220 million fine imposed by the country's consumer protection agency, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). In appeals court papers cited by various media, including the BBC and The Africa Report, Meta said it "may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures". Meta's social media platforms -- WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram -- are among the most popular in the country. Meta has until the end of June to pay the fine, Nigerian media reported. "We disagree with the NDPC's (Nigerian Data Protection Commission) decision, which fails to take into account the wide range of settings and tools that allow everyone using Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to control how their information is used," a Meta spokesperson told AFP. "We're committed to protecting user privacy and have appealed the decision," the company spokesperson said in an email response. Nigeria had accused Meta of violating the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. FCCPC chief executive officer Adamu Abdullahi had said investigations carried out in conjunction with the NDPC between May 2021 and December 2023 revealed "invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria". A WhatsApp spokesperson told AFP on Saturday: "The FCCPC order contains multiple inaccuracies and misrepresents how WhatsApp works, and we are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal the Tribunal's decision to avoid any impact to users." On Saturday, the FCCPC described Meta's reaction as "a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision". In its statement it said that Meta had been sanctioned for "similar breaches" in Texas, India, South Korea, France and Australia, but had "never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed". "Threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process," the statement read. Nigeria had some 164.3 million internet subscriptions as of March, according to figures published on the National Communication Commission's website.
