Observing corporate governance ethical best practices of privacy and data protection in the covid-19 era in Nigeria

Abstract Most data protection regulations recognize the need for a balance between the rights of individuals and the justifiable interference with these rights. Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) issued the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) to create a regulatory framework that conforms to international standards and good corporate governance practices. This paper attempts to address the question of how well the personal data collected during the pandemic could be safeguarded from breaches. The paper used the doctrinal research methodology with recourse made to the primary and secondary sources of gathering information. It recommends that good corporate governance practices in the area of data and privacy protection should be adopted by public and private institutions. It further suggests that the collection of data should be guided by an extant law, while adopting the principle of necessity, and transparency. The study concludes that in as much as data collection is important to combat the spread of Covid -19, this should be done while respecting ethical best practices.