A data protection officer (DPO), Kolawole Oseni, has called for urgent improvements in Nigeria’s online examination infrastructure after operational challenges nearly marred a recent certification exam.

Mr Oseni, who runs a consultancy service, made this call on Thursday in Lagos.

He spoke after participating in the online certification examination for data protection officers conducted under the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) DPO Training and Certification Programme.

He said that, while the examination successfully achieved its objective of testing candidates’ competence in data protection and privacy management, several operational challenges affected participants’ experience.

Mr Oseni noted that challenges such as poor connectivity, technical glitches and inadequate support services undermined candidates’ experience in spite of the overall success of the exercise.

He said the examination, conducted remotely through an online platform, featured multiple-choice questions, scenario-based assessments and practical compliance exercises.

Mr Oseni noted that the examination was designed to evaluate participants’ understanding of data protection principles, privacy regulations, governance frameworks and risk management practices.

Despite the setbacks, Mr Oseni described the exercise as a significant step toward building a pool of certified professionals capable of serving as DPOs across organisations.

He commended the NDPC on the standard of the examination’s questions but urged it to strengthen its infrastructure for future examinations.

“Internet connectivity issues emerged as one of the major obstacles, with many candidates experiencing unstable connections, temporary disconnections and delays that disrupted examination sessions.

“Also, technical difficulties, including browser incompatibility, login failures, slow system response and device-related malfunctions, heightened anxiety among candidates and impacted their performance.

“Some participants were not familiar with the online examination platform, resulting in navigation challenges, difficulties in submitting answers and poor time management,” he said.

Mr Oseni noted that delays in accessing technical support during the examination further compounded the challenges, reducing candidates’ effective examination time and affecting overall concentration.

He recommended that the commission should deploy more robust and scalable digital platforms, improved server capacity and backup infrastructure to minimise downtime.

He advocated mandatory mock examinations to familiarise candidates with examination procedures and identify technical issues before the actual assessment.

“Examination organisers should establish dedicated technical support centres, capable of providing real-time assistance through telephone, email and instant messaging channels throughout the examination period,” he said.

Mr Oseni highlighted the need for clear examination guidelines, early communication of procedures and the introduction of contingency measures.

According to him, these will allow candidates affected by verified technical disruptions to resume or reschedule examinations.

He said that, with the digitalisation of examinations by various examination bodies, addressing infrastructure deficiencies, improving user preparedness and enhancing support mechanisms would significantly improve the credibility, fairness and reliability of online certification examinations.

“Continuous review of examination processes and adoption of global best practices will ensure a seamless experience for candidates and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s data protection certification framework,” Mr Oseni said.

Reacting to the complaints, the Head of Media, NDPC, Itunu Doseku, said that though the commission sponsored the training and certification programme, the examination was conducted and administered by the Institute of Information Management (IIM).

“As with many online examinations, it is not unusual for some candidates to experience technical challenges arising from factors such as internet connectivity, device compatibility, or platform-related issues.

“We have been informed that IIM is actively reviewing and addressing all reported technical issues to ensure that affected candidates are treated fairly.

“Candidates, who experienced any technical difficulties during the examination, are advised to contact IIM directly through the communication channels provided to them, detailing the issues encountered,” the NDPC spokesman said.

Mr Doseku stressed that it was important to note that a significant majority of candidates completed the examination successfully and had already been issued their certificates.

“Nonetheless, we recognise the concerns of those who encountered difficulties and are committed to ensuring that they are appropriately addressed.

“The commission remains committed to ensuring that all participants have a fair opportunity to complete the certification process and is engaging with IIM to monitor the resolution of reported concerns,” he added.

The examination followed a five-day Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC)-certified training held at T&Y Information Management Services.

The training equipped participants with practical knowledge of data protection, privacy management, cybersecurity, compliance obligations and emerging technologies.

The programme supports the NDPC reform agenda aimed at producing strategic DPOs capable of driving accountability, compliance and responsible data governance across organisations. 

(NAN)