Privacy Policy
How We Protect and Use Your Personal Information
Introduction
As part of its statutory responsibilities, the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Innovation collects and processes certain types of information, including but not limited to names, telephone numbers, addresses, and other data that can be used to identify individuals. These individuals may include citizens, employees, contractors, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders with whom the Ministry engages (collectively referred to as “Data Subjects”).
Maintaining the trust and confidence of Data Subjects requires that personal data is handled responsibly and does not result in adverse consequences for individuals. The Ministry is therefore committed to complying with all applicable data protection laws and regulations, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019, to ensure the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal data. This Privacy Policy outlines the standards governing the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal data by the Ministry.
This Policy applies to all systems, operations, and processes within the Ministry that involve the handling of personal data, whether in electronic or physical form.
Scope
This Policy applies to all employees of the Ministry, as well as external partners, consultants, contractors, vendors, and service providers who collect, process, store, or transmit personal data on behalf of the Ministry. It also applies to third parties who process personal data received from the Ministry.
General Principles for Processing of Data
The Ministry is committed to ensuring that personal data is processed in accordance with established legal and regulatory principles. Personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner. Data collected must be adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the intended purpose. The Ministry shall ensure that personal data is accurate and kept up to date, and that reasonable steps are taken to correct or delete inaccurate data.
Personal data shall only be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and shall not be further processed in a manner incompatible with those purposes. The Ministry shall implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of personal data and to protect it against unauthorized access, loss, or destruction.
Purpose of Data Collection
Personal data collected by the Ministry shall be used strictly for legitimate governmental and administrative purposes, including the delivery of public services, communication with stakeholders, policy development, research and innovation initiatives, and compliance with legal obligations.
Legal Grounds for Processing of Personal Data
The Ministry processes personal data on lawful bases which may include the consent of the Data Subject, the necessity of processing for the performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, protection of vital interests, and the performance of tasks carried out in the public interest or under official authority.
Where personal data is obtained from third parties, such data shall only be processed where the third party has the legal authority to share it.
Consent
Where processing is based on consent, such consent shall be obtained in a clear, specific, and informed manner. Consent shall be freely given and may be withdrawn at any time. In cases involving minors, consent shall be obtained from parents or legal guardians in accordance with applicable laws.
Data Subject Rights
Data Subjects have the right to request access to their personal data held by the Ministry, to request correction or deletion of such data, to object to or restrict processing, and to request the transfer of their data where applicable. Data Subjects also have the right to withdraw consent and to lodge complaints with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission
Personal Data Retention
Personal data shall be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. The Ministry shall periodically review stored data to ensure its continued relevance, accuracy, and necessity. Data may also be retained for archival, research, or statistical purposes in the public interest, in accordance with applicable laws.
Data Security
The Ministry shall implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to safeguard personal data. These measures shall include secure data storage systems, access control mechanisms, encryption where necessary, and physical safeguards for hardcopy records. All personnel handling personal data are required to maintain confidentiality and are prohibited from unauthorized use or disclosure.
Transfer of Personal Data
Personal data may be shared with authorized government agencies, service providers, or other entities where necessary and in compliance with applicable laws. Any transfer of personal data outside Nigeria shall be carried out in accordance with regulatory requirements and appropriate safeguards.
Data Breach Management
The Ministry shall maintain procedures for identifying, reporting, and managing data breaches. In the event of a breach, appropriate steps shall be taken to contain and investigate the incident, notify relevant authorities where required, and inform affected Data Subjects where necessary.
Data Protection Officer
The Ministry shall designate a Data Protection Officer responsible for overseeing compliance with data protection laws, advising on data protection obligations, monitoring internal processes, and serving as a point of contact for data protection matters.
Changes to this Policy
The Ministry reserves the right to amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updates shall be communicated through official channels.
Compliance Statement
The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Innovation is fully committed to compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, relevant guidelines issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and all applicable data protection laws in Nigeria.