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Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike (“NRCRI”, “the Institute”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal information entrusted to us by individuals who visit, interact with, or use our website and related digital services.

As a Federal Government agricultural research institution, NRCRI recognizes the importance of responsible information management and respects the privacy rights of individuals in accordance with applicable laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, protect, disclose, and otherwise process personal information obtained through our website, online forms, electronic communications, publications, enquiries, applications, events, and other digital interactions with the Institute.

This Policy is intended to provide transparency about our data-processing practices and to explain the rights available to individuals whose personal data we process.

2. Our Commitment to Privacy

NRCRI is committed to processing personal data in a manner that is lawful, fair, transparent, secure, and consistent with the purposes for which the information was collected.

We seek to ensure that personal data is:

  • Processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently;

  • Collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes;

  • Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary;

  • Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;

  • Retained only for as long as necessary or as required by law;

  • Protected against unauthorized access, unlawful processing, loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure; and

  • Processed in accordance with applicable Nigerian data-protection requirements.

These principles are consistent with the data-processing principles recognized under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency)

3. Information We May Collect

Depending on how you interact with NRCRI, we may collect and process different categories of personal information.

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

You may voluntarily provide personal information when you:

  • Submit an enquiry or contact form;

  • Send us an email;

  • Subscribe to newsletters, publications, or institutional updates;

  • Register for conferences, workshops, seminars, training, or other events;

  • Apply for programmes, opportunities, or services;

  • Request information, publications, research materials, or institutional services;

  • Participate in surveys or feedback activities;

  • Communicate with members, departments, programmes, or offices of the Institute; or

  • Otherwise communicate with NRCRI through our digital platforms.

Such information may include your name, email address, telephone number, organization, professional information, postal address, and the contents of your communication.

We only request information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically through standard web technologies.

This may include:

  • IP address;

  • Browser type and version;

  • Device type;

  • Operating system;

  • General location information derived from technical data;

  • Pages visited;

  • Date and time of access;

  • Referring website;

  • Website navigation and interaction information;

  • Technical logs; and

  • Information relating to website performance and security.

This information may be used for website administration, security, troubleshooting, analytics, performance improvement, and prevention of unauthorized activity.

4. How We Use Personal Information

NRCRI may process personal information for legitimate institutional purposes, including:

  • Responding to enquiries and requests;

  • Providing information about the Institute and its activities;

  • Managing registrations for events, programmes, conferences, workshops, and training;

  • Communicating institutional announcements and updates;

  • Providing access to publications, research information, resources, and technologies;

  • Managing correspondence and official communications;

  • Improving website functionality, accessibility, content, and user experience;

  • Monitoring website performance and security;

  • Preventing fraud, abuse, unauthorized access, and other security incidents;

  • Meeting legal, regulatory, administrative, and public-sector obligations;

  • Maintaining appropriate institutional records;

  • Supporting research, agricultural development, knowledge dissemination, and stakeholder engagement where applicable;

  • Protecting the rights, property, security, and interests of the Institute and its users; and

  • Carrying out other functions that are lawfully connected with the Institute’s statutory and institutional responsibilities.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal information only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

Depending on the circumstances, our processing may be based on:

5.1 Legal or Regulatory Obligation

We may process personal information where processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws, regulations, official requirements, lawful directives, record-keeping obligations, or other legal responsibilities applicable to the Institute.

5.2 Public Interest or Official Authority

As a Federal Government research institution, NRCRI may process personal information where such processing is necessary for the performance of functions carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

5.3 Consent

Where consent is required, we may request your consent before processing your personal information for the specified purpose.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent where permitted by law. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before withdrawal.

5.4 Legitimate Interests

Where applicable and permitted by law, personal information may be processed where necessary for legitimate institutional interests, provided that such processing does not unfairly override the rights and freedoms of the individual.

5.5 Contractual or Requested Services

Where applicable, we may process personal information where necessary to provide a service, administer an engagement, or take steps at an individual’s request before entering into an arrangement.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, security, preferences, analytics, and performance.

Cookies are small data files placed on a device when a website is accessed. Depending on their purpose, cookies may help us:

  • Keep essential website functions working;

  • Remember preferences;

  • Understand how visitors use our website;

  • Improve website performance;

  • Detect technical problems;

  • Protect against security threats; and

  • Improve the overall user experience.

Where applicable, non-essential cookies may be subject to user consent or available cookie-management controls.

You may also adjust cookie settings through your browser. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some website features.

7. Website Analytics

We may use appropriate analytics technologies to understand website traffic, usage patterns, performance, and technical issues.

Analytics information may help us determine which pages and resources are useful, identify areas for improvement, monitor website performance, and understand general visitor engagement.

Where third-party analytics services are used, their processing may also be governed by their respective privacy policies and contractual obligations.

8. Communication and Mailing Lists

Where you voluntarily subscribe to institutional communications, we may use your contact information to send newsletters, announcements, publications, research updates, event information, or other relevant institutional communications.

You may unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time using an available unsubscribe mechanism or by contacting us.

Where communications are necessary for an existing institutional, legal, administrative, or service-related purpose, they may continue where permitted or required by law.

9. Research, Events, and Institutional Activities

NRCRI may collect personal information from participants, researchers, farmers, trainees, visitors, collaborators, event participants, and other stakeholders in connection with lawful research, agricultural development, training, extension, outreach, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, surveys, and other institutional activities.

Where personal information is collected for research or related purposes, NRCRI will take appropriate measures to ensure that the information is handled in accordance with applicable legal, ethical, scientific, and institutional requirements.

Where photographs, recordings, testimonials, or other identifiable materials are collected during public events or institutional activities, their use will be managed in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances under which they were obtained.

10. Information Sharing and Disclosure

NRCRI does not sell, rent, or commercially trade personal information.

We may disclose personal information where necessary and lawful to:

  • Authorized government institutions and public authorities;

  • Government ministries, departments, agencies, or regulatory bodies;

  • Service providers and technology providers acting on our behalf;

  • Professional advisers, auditors, or other authorized service providers;

  • Event, research, training, or programme partners where appropriate;

  • Law-enforcement or security authorities where legally required or permitted;

  • Courts, tribunals, or other lawful authorities;

  • Successors or authorized entities where required for legitimate institutional purposes; or

  • Other persons where you have provided appropriate consent or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, NRCRI will take reasonable steps to ensure that such processing is subject to appropriate confidentiality, security, and data-protection obligations.

11. Third-Party Websites and External Links

Our website may contain links to external websites, online resources, social-media platforms, research databases, partner institutions, government agencies, or other third-party services.

These websites operate independently from NRCRI and may have their own privacy policies and terms of use.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, security, or data-processing activities of third-party websites. We encourage users to review the privacy policies of external websites before providing personal information.

12. Data Security

NRCRI takes reasonable technical, organizational, and administrative measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, loss, misuse, destruction, or other unlawful processing.

Security measures may include:

  • Access controls;

  • Authentication and authorization procedures;

  • Secure communications where appropriate;

  • System monitoring;

  • Data backups;

  • Security updates;

  • Administrative controls;

  • Confidentiality obligations; and

  • Appropriate technical safeguards.

However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should therefore exercise appropriate caution when transmitting personal information online.

13. Data Retention

NRCRI retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to comply with applicable legal and administrative requirements, to maintain appropriate institutional records, or for other lawful purposes.

The retention period may vary depending on:

  • The nature and sensitivity of the information;

  • The purpose for which it was collected;

  • Applicable laws and regulations;

  • Government record-management requirements;

  • Institutional archival requirements;

  • Research or historical value; and

  • The need to establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

Where personal information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason for continued retention, appropriate steps will be taken to securely delete, destroy, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it.

14. Data Accuracy

We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information in our possession is accurate and appropriate for the purpose for which it is processed.

Where you believe information held about you is inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misleading, you may contact us to request appropriate correction.

15. Your Rights as a Data Subject

Subject to applicable legal conditions and limitations, individuals whose personal data is processed by NRCRI may have rights including:

  • The right to be informed about the processing of their personal data;

  • The right to request access to personal information held about them;

  • The right to request correction or rectification of inaccurate personal information;

  • The right to request deletion of personal information in appropriate circumstances;

  • The right to object to certain processing;

  • The right to request restriction of processing in applicable circumstances;

  • The right to data portability where applicable;

  • The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;

  • The right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate supervisory authority; and

  • The right not to be subject to certain forms of solely automated decision-making where applicable.

The NDPC identifies these rights under the Nigeria Data Protection Act framework, including rights to information, access, rectification, objection, restriction, portability, erasure, and complaint. (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency)

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal, regulatory, public-interest, security, research, archival, or other lawful limitations.

16. Requests to Access or Correct Personal Data

If you wish to request access to personal information held by NRCRI, request correction, object to processing, or exercise another applicable data-protection right, you may submit a written request through our official contact channels.

Requests should provide sufficient information to enable us to identify the relevant records and verify the identity of the requester where necessary.

We may request additional information where reasonably required to protect personal information from unauthorized disclosure.

17. Complaints and Privacy Concerns

NRCRI takes privacy concerns seriously.

If you believe that your personal information has been processed improperly, your privacy rights have been infringed, or we have not adequately addressed a privacy concern, you may contact the Institute through its official communication channels.

We will review privacy complaints and take reasonable steps to investigate and address legitimate concerns.

Where a matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved internally, individuals may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) or another competent supervisory authority, as applicable.

The NDPC’s published guidance recognizes the importance of prompt internal remediation and the right of data subjects to complain to the supervisory authority. (NDPC ERP)

18. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not primarily directed at children, and we do not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children except where such collection is necessary for a lawful institutional, educational, research, training, or other legitimate purpose and appropriate safeguards are applied.

Where applicable, additional protections will be implemented for children and other vulnerable data subjects in accordance with Nigerian data-protection requirements.

19. International Data Transfers

Where personal information is transferred, accessed, stored, or processed outside Nigeria, NRCRI will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is carried out in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.

Where appropriate, safeguards may include contractual protections, adequate levels of protection, lawful transfer mechanisms, or other safeguards recognized under applicable Nigerian law.

20. Data Breach and Security Incidents

NRCRI maintains appropriate measures designed to identify, prevent, manage, and respond to personal-data security incidents.

Where a personal-data breach occurs, we will take appropriate steps to assess and contain the incident, protect affected information, investigate the circumstances, and make notifications to affected individuals and/or relevant authorities where required by applicable law.

21. Public Records and Institutional Information

As a Federal Government research institution, NRCRI may be required to create, maintain, publish, preserve, or disclose certain institutional records and information in accordance with applicable laws, government policies, public-sector requirements, research obligations, transparency requirements, and archival practices.

Information that is lawfully designated or made available as public institutional information may therefore not be treated as confidential personal information solely because it appears on an NRCRI platform.

22. Photographs, Videos, and Public Events

NRCRI may document institutional activities, conferences, workshops, field activities, research demonstrations, exhibitions, training programmes, and other public or official events through photographs, video, or other media.

Where individuals are identifiable, the Institute will handle such materials in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances surrounding their collection and use.

Where specific consent is required, appropriate consent mechanisms may be provided.

23. Changes to This Privacy Policy

NRCRI may periodically review and update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory requirements, institutional practices, technology, website functionality, or data-processing activities.

When material changes are made, the updated version will be published through appropriate institutional channels.

The “Last Updated” date at the beginning of this Policy indicates when the Policy was most recently revised.

24. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, privacy requests, or enquiries relating to the processing of personal information by NRCRI, you may contact the Institute through its official communication channels.

National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike
Km 8 Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road
Umuahia, Abia State
Nigeria

Email: info@nrcri.gov.ng
Telephone: 0816 387 9811

Where a request concerns the exercise of a data-subject right, please clearly state the nature of your request and provide sufficient information to enable the Institute to process it appropriately.

25. Governing Framework

This Privacy Policy shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria relating to privacy, data protection, information security, public-sector administration, research, records management, and other relevant institutional obligations.

In particular, NRCRI seeks to comply with the applicable requirements of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and guidance issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, as amended or replaced from time to time. The NDP Act establishes the current primary statutory framework for data protection in Nigeria. (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency)

26. Acceptance and Acknowledgement

By using the NRCRI website and voluntarily providing personal information through our digital platforms, you acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to review this Privacy Policy.

Where consent is required by law, NRCRI will seek such consent through an appropriate mechanism before processing the relevant personal information.