Additional News and Resources
Report: Half of Middle East-North African companies don't yet realize business imperative of data privacy
Less than half of businesses in the Middle East and North Africa recognize the value of data security and customer privacy, The FinTech Times reports, citing a joint survey conducted by the Harvard Business Review Analytic Services and Mastercard. With approximately half the populations in both regions under the age of 24, UNICEF estimates consumer trust will rely heavily on companies' ability to implement data security principals catering to younger customers. According to the report, 80% of co... Read More
Nigeria releases draft Data Protection Bill
Nigeria released its draft Data Protection Bill, 2022 outlining a legal framework for personal data protection. The bill would establish the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to regulate personal data processing and outlines principles for processing personal information — including conducting data protection impact assessments and appointing a data protection officer — breach notification and cross-border data transfer restrictions, and enforcement abilities including investigations and civil ... Read More
Potential Kenya-US trade deal could be favorable to Big Tech
Kenya created a requirement for startups that process personal data to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, PYMNTS.com reports. While Kenya’s Data Protection Act is the EU General Data Protection Regulation’s closest parallel on the African continent, a potential bilateral trade deal with the U.S. could save American companies compliance headaches after the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield was overturned in 2020. However, provisions of the anticipated Kenya-U.S. trade deal could c... Read More
South African DPA launches enforcement committee
The Information Regulator of South Africa announced initial appointments to its Enforcement Committee. Provided for under Section 50 of the Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2013, the committee is made up of 14 members from various sectors. Helen Fourie was appointed chair of the committee while Simonè Margadie will be alternate chair. Information Regulator Chair Pansy Tlakula said the committee's establishment means the regulator "will be able to enforce its powers and provide an ... Read More
Data privacy on the African continent: Opportunities, challenges and implications for learning analytics
This report, published in the British Journal of Educational Technology, provides an overview of privacy regulations in 32 African countries. Read More
State of Internet Freedom in Africa
This annual report, published by CIPESA, analyzes the state of privacy and personal data protection in Africa, and addresses developments and events in the privacy industry and their impacts throughout the continent. Click To View (PDF) ... Read More
Privacy and personal data protection in Africa: A rights-based survey of legislation in eight countries
The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition published a comprehensive report examining the state of data protection in eight African countries. The countries surveyed were Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. Four of those nations have privacy legislation, but Research Coordinator Alan Finlay said laws alone were "not necessarily a strong indicator of whether a country is committed to privacy rights, or of the efficacy of a country’s l... Read More
Biometric Technology in Nigeria: Examining Data Privacy Concerns
This article, published by the African Academic Network on Internet Policy, explores the use of biometric data in Nigeria, the privacy concerns it raises, as well as current and proposed rules governing its processing. Read More
Data Protection Obligations of Cloud Providers and Customers in Nigeria
This article, published by the African Academic Network on Internet Policy, considers the roles of cloud service providers and customers, their roles in data processing, and compares the parties’ responsibilities under the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation. Read More
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Africa's Digital Health Care System
This article from the African Academic Network on Internet Policy analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digitization of the African health care system, the challenges and privacy issues coupled with this push and recommendations to address these issues in the future. Read More
IBA African Data Protection Guide for Lawyers in Africa
The International Bar Association's African Regional Forum published a guide to data protection and privacy laws for legal professionals across African nations. Read More
Slowly but surely, data protection regulations expand throughout Africa
The enactment of data protection legislation across Africa bodes well for the future. The privacy industry has flourished during the last few years. Since the EU General Data Protection Regulation entered into force (following the 1995 Directive, also known as EU Directive 95/46/EC), countries worldwide have passed privacy legislation. From the comprehensive California Consumer Protection Act in the U.S. to Brazil's General Data Protection Law, Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electi... Read More
POPIA Privacy Notice and Compliance Checklists
These checklists, published by VeraSafe, assist organizations in in assessing their compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act. Read More
Kenya appoints its first ever data protection commissioner
On Nov. 16, 2020, Immaculate Kassait was sworn in as Kenya’s first-ever data protection commissioner. Kassait, a former director of voter education and partnerships at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to actualize the Data Protection Act 2019. She has promised to hold multinational companies, such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, accountable to Kenyan laws. According to the act, the DPC has powers to conduct investigations on its ... Read More
Privacy is Paramount: Personal Data Protection in Africa
This report, published by Deloitte, outlines the state of personal data protection in Africa, while addressing the importance of compliance with personal data protection legislation for business growth and international trade. Click To View ... Read More