Boakai Pushes Personal Information Regulation as House Reviews Bill

CAPITOL HILL – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has submitted a bill to the Liberian Legislature titled An Act for the Collection, Processing, Transmission, Storage, Protection, and Use of Personal Information in Liberia.

The bill aims to regulate the processing of personal information by individuals and entities handling data of residents in Liberia, the ECOWAS region, or beyond. It applies to data controllers and processors involved in collecting, storing, transmitting, and using personal data.

The legislation is based on a draft supplementary law introduced by the ECOWAS Commission on Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization. The draft underwent validation sessions, including one in Ganta, Nimba County, with representatives from ten counties, and another in Monrovia with key stakeholders in data protection.

President Boakai said the bill will establish a legal framework to protect personal data privacy while balancing the interests of individuals and the State.

The bill has been forwarded to the House Committee on Post and Telecommunications for review, with a report expected within two weeks.