Nigerian lawyer and renouwed data privacy expert Olumide Babalola has filed an action against the Federal Government over its failure to allocate funds for the running of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
In an Originating Summons with Suit No: FHC/LF/41/2024 filed at the Federal High Court Lafia Judicial Division, Mr. Babalola asked the court to declare that the non funding of the Commission hampers and interferes with the enforcement of the right to privacy which is one of the objectives provided under section 1 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. He consequently asked the court to compel the government to release the take off fund for the operations of the Commission.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act was passed into law on the 12th of June, 2023. Part of the provisions of the Act is the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) with the mandate to ensure compliance with the provision of the Act. Unfortunately, one year after the establishment of the Commission, the Federal Government has failed/neglected to fund the operations of the Commission.
Sued as 1st to 6th Respondents in the suit are; the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian Communications Commission, the National Information Technology Development Agency, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.
