Privacy law and technology in Nigeria: The legal framework will not meet the test of adequacy as mandated by article 25 of European union directive 95/46

Abstract

Nigeria is one of the biggest and fastest telecommunications markets in Africa and has huge potential for information technology (IT) market growth. With nearly 70 million Muslims (roughly half the population), it is also the country with the largest number of members of the Islamic faith in sub-Saharan Africa. While government policies and public-private initiatives such as ‘Computers for all Nigerians’ may have a significant impact in the mid-term, a relatively low percentage of IT penetration and an unreliable power infrastructure has not fuelled concern about European Union-style data protection laws. Value-added systems in Nigeria's fast-developing information and communication technology (ICT) sector may, however, lead to the possibility of export of personal data from the EU to Nigeria. This article considers the test of adequacy and its requirements as laid down in EU Directive 95/46. It then evaluates the Nigerian privacy provisions, keeping in view of the test laid down by the Directive, to come to the conclusion that the legal framework will fail to meet the test of adequacy, but that other remedies may be available. The author takes the view that the current situation is the not the result of influence by any religious faith, but is simply brought about by economic circumstances and the rate of infrastructural growth.

Notes

1 BBC Nigeria Report. Available online at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1064557.stm

2 http://www.internetworldstats.com/af/ng.htm

3 http://www.internetworldstats.com/af/ng.htm

4 Almost all of Nigeria's international telephony is now carried out using VOIP according to Internet World Stats (http://www.internetworldstats.com/af/ng.htm).

5 World Bank Report. Available online at: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/NIGERIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:368922∼pagePK:141132∼piPK:141109∼theSitePK:368896,00.html. Population estimates differ widely; the World Gazeteer, cited by ITU, gives the population of Nigeria as nearly 160 million (see 159,404,137 population for 2006, http://www.internetworldstats.com/af/ng.htm).

6 Hargreaves, S. (2001) Rising tensions: Sharia law in Nigeria, The Lancet, 5 December.

7 Emphasis added.

8 Emphasis added.

9 Article 31, Directive 95/46/EC.

10 Section 25, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

11 Section 26, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

12 Section 27, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

13 Nigerian Weekly Law Reports, Part 906 (2005) 1.N.W.L.R 55 – 56, paragraphs H- B.

14 Adoption du projet de loi organique relative à la protection des données personnelles, Tunisia Online (Tunis), 22 July 2004. Available online at: http://www.reveiltunisien.org/breve.php3?id_breve=1313

15 Privacy International (2004) Report on Nigeria. Available online at: http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-83514

16 http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-83514

17 All statistics as at 14 June 2007 from Internet World Stats. Available online at: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm#africa

18 http://grandioseparlor.blogspot.com/2005/11/computer-for-all-nigerians-initiative.html; emphasis in original.

19 Okonji, E. (2007) PC penetration in Nigeria: The struggle, the gains, Sunday Independent, 3 April. Available online at: http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=51&a=23993

20 Adopted by the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, Strasbourg, 14 – 16 October 1992.

21 XVD/5009/98 final WP 110.

22 Commission Decision of 15 June 2001 on standard contractual clauses for the transfer of personal data to third countries, under Directive 95/46/EC (notified under document number C(2001) 1539) 2001D0497-EN – 1 April 2005-001.001-2.

23 Commission Decision of 15 June 2001.