RIGHT TO PRIVACY UNDER THE 1999 CONSTITUTION

Abstract

The study examines the Right to privacy in Nigeria. This study finds that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right, where the holder of said right is free from interference or intrusion, and their personal information is free from public scrutiny. It finds that The Right to privacy is a fundamental human right, and accordingly, has been recognised universally as such. The study also finds that the right to privacy is important, especially in an age where personal information is monetised, and in response to this, the Constitution gives this right recognition, by providing that the right to privacy of citizens, their homes and correspondence is guaranteed. However, upon examination, this research uncovers the inadequacies of current laws, as it exposes the fact that the constitution is unclear about what acts constitute breach of privacy, or to what extent privacy is protected, as it fails to even define privacy. The study draws attention to the fact that the provision of the Constitution was drafted relating to privacy was drafted over 20 years ago, and technology has since advanced, creating more threats to privacy, and highlights the need for better protection. The study therefore recommends amendment of the constitution which would clarify the extent to which privacy is protected, and be adequate to tackle modern privacy problems. The study concludes that while the current framework for protection of the right is inadequate, amendment of the provisions would solve a vast majority of protection problems.

Identifiers

Resource ID

urn:uuid:0a9a934d-690e-45dd-9ed7-61a75ee28f7a