President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted the Nigerian Data Protection Bill, 2023 and the Nigerian Police Force College, Training Schools and Institutions Establishment Bill, 2023 to the Senate and House of Representatives for consideration and passage.

In his letter read at the plenary sessions of the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday, 4 April 2023, President Buhari informed lawmakers that the Nigerian Data Protection Bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the protection of personal information as well as establish the Nigerian Data Protection Commission responsible for regulating the processing of personal information.

On the Bill to establish the Nigerian Police Force College, Training School and Institutions, President Buhari noted that the Bill seeks to provide a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the Nigerian Police Force College, Training Schools, and Institutions for the provision of specialised trainings for police officers in the field of policing and law enforcement to enhance their performance.

President Buhari also mentioned that the transmission of the said Bills to the National Assembly for consideration and passage is in line with section 58 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that:

(2) A bill may originate in either the Senate or the House of Representatives and shall not become law unless it has been passed and, except as otherwise provided by this section and section 59 of this Constitution, assented to in accordance with the provisions of this section”.

Following transmittal, it is expected that the Senate and the House of Representatives will debate  the general principles of the said Bills before referral to the relevant Committee (s) for further legislative action.