WorldStage Newsonline– Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Pantami has called on the African Union to pay more attention to data protection in the continent, saying that 1.3 billion people in Africa are great asset to its economic development.
Speaking at 2021 Global Privacy Day , Pantami said there was a need for the creation of an African Single Digital Market (ASDM) which he said was critical to having a data sovereignty.
According to him, “this would enable the continent gain the advantage of economies of 1.3 billion people. The ASDM would also help us have data sovereignty in such a way as to protect data while also protecting the multinational technology investors.
“I implore the African Union Commission and our international partners to support Nigeria’s call for creating an African Single Digital Market (ASDM).”
In his address at the webinar, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, said the issue of identity, data collection and management were imperative and government must put in place the necessary mechanisms to get things right.
He said since the country started implementing digital economy policies, over 2,686 new jobs had been created.
He also said data protection sector valued at N2.3 billion had been created.
