A Technology Company, Zoho Corporation on Thursday urged the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to ensure that organisations, institutions and individuals comply with the Data Protection Act 2023.
The Country Manager, Zoho, Mr Kehinde Ogundare, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that adequate compliance with the data protection act would ensure the privacy of people’s data.
Ogundare said that the upgrading of the NDPC was cheering to the Zoho team because data privacy was at the heart of the corporation’s business and interaction with the public.
“Zoho takes the data privacy of its customers very seriously, which is why no ads are allowed on our platforms, because ads can be a weak link.
“Ads can be a weak link because one is unaware of where the ads are coming from, which is why Zoho has removed all ads from its platform and products.
“Now, imagine as a business-minded person having 100 million users; If we allow one advert on any of our platforms, it will generate more than one billion naira in revenue in a year.
‘So, we compromised on making more money because we want to ensure our customers’ privacy, which other companies will not do.
“In 2020, we removed every tracking third-party application from our platform.
“This is a huge thing for businesses, especially software and technology companies, when a third-party cannot actually see what the people are doing on your platform,” he said.
Ogundare said that Zoho wanted to give that privacy to its customers; to ensure that business owners had control over their data.
“We do not own your data and we do not sell your data, we promise you that the data is your data,” he said.
The country manager said that its data protection policies are to be able to maintain a level of commitment to its customers, to its culture and to the integrity of the software that it produces.
He emphasised that the NDPC should ensure it does more in the area of sensitising people on the right to their data.
Ogundare said that the company had always strove for security and privacy first in dealing with people and their data.
“In this age and time, it is imperative for any business owner to trust the technology they are using.
“That they are not going to share my data. They are not going to sell my data. Nobody is going to hack into me and actually expose my business,.
“So, our value proposition is very strong in Zoho. Comparing this to those of any competitors we have.
Zoho Corporation is an Indian multinational technology company that makes computer software and web-based business tools. It has been in existence for over 25 years, has 55 plus application in 150 countries.
The corporation hit the 100 million user mark globally in 2022, and is best known for its online office suite offering Zoho Office Suite.
