Author
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TMT Team
In an era where digital records define personal identity, the accuracy of data held by
businesses is no longer a matter of convenience; it is a matter of legal obligation. The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) recognises that errors in personal data can distort reality, damage reputations, and erode trust.
For this reason, the NDPA establishes data accuracy as a core principle of data processing and grants individuals the right to rectification to restore the truth when their personal data is misrepresented.
While accuracy and transparency guide how data controllers and processors must handle information, the right to rectification empowers individuals to demand that inaccuracies be corrected and integrity restored. Together, these elements safeguard the autonomy of the data subject and ensure that fairness remains central to data governance.
This delicate balance between the principles and rights was recently tested in Rebecca Temitope Bonje v. Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, a case that underscored the legal and ethical consequences of altering or refusing to correct inaccurate personal data.
In this article, we examined the principle of data accuracy and the right to rectification under the NDPA, analyse the facts and decision of the court in Bonje v.Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, and highlight key lessons and obligations for businesses.
