AFP-DPO
Data Protection & Privacy
The AFP-DPO track trains data protection officers (DPOs) and compliance teams in African financial institutions to master the legal framework for personal data protection (national laws, the Malabo Convention, the GDPR for exposed entities) and to deploy operational compliance programmes.
Who it is for
- Current or future data protection officers (DPOs)
- Compliance managers and legal counsel at financial institutions
- CISOs and CIOs taking on data protection
- Chief executives of fintechs and e-money institutions
Certification levels
AFP-DPO Foundation
- Prerequisites
- None, open to any legal, compliance or IT professional
- Total duration
- 3 days (21h)
- Exam format
- 50-question multiple-choice test + analysis of a data breach case (2h)
- Practical exam location
- ACRC centre / remote
- Validity
- 3 years (recertification required)
Curriculum
- 4h
African legal landscape of data protection: national laws, Malabo Convention, AU Data Policy
Comparative course
- 3h
Core principles: lawfulness, purpose limitation, data minimisation, data subject rights
Lecture
- 3h
Personal data in banking: identification, classification, flows
Hands-on workshop
- 3h
The DPO's role, duties and positioning in a financial institution
Lecture + role play
- 4h
Record of processing activities and data mapping
Practical work
- 4h
Managing data breaches: notification, investigation, remediation
Case study
Skills acquired
- Identify the data protection legal obligations applicable to an African bank
- Map a financial institution's personal data processing
- Handle a data breach according to regulatory procedures
- Carry out the DPO's mission in compliance with the African legal framework
AFP-DPO Practitioner
- Prerequisites
- AFP-DPO Foundation or legal/compliance experience
- Total duration
- 5 days (35h)
- Exam format
- Complete data compliance programme (record + PIA + procedures) + 30-minute defence
- Practical exam location
- ACRC Dakar
- Validity
- 3 years (recertification required)
Curriculum
- 5h
Privacy by Design and Privacy by Default in banking IT projects
Hands-on workshop
- 6h
Data protection impact assessment (DPIA/PIA): method and tools
Practical work
- 4h
International data transfers: cloud, correspondent banks, service providers
Lecture + case study
- 4h
Data subject rights: operational implementation (access, rectification, erasure, portability)
Procedural simulation
- 4h
Compliance for fintechs and mobile money: KYC, scoring, open banking
Case study
- 3h
Working with supervisory authorities (ADPRS, CNIL, HAPDP…)
Regulatory simulation
- 3h
Staff awareness and training programme
Teaching workshop
- 6h
Building the compliance programme and defence coaching
Project + coaching
Skills acquired
- Deploy a data protection compliance programme for an African bank
- Conduct a DPIA for high-risk processing (scoring, biometrics, profiling)
- Manage relations with supervisory authorities and respond to a formal notice
- Implement Privacy by Design in digital transformation projects
AFP-DPO Expert
- Prerequisites
- AFP-DPO Practitioner + 3 years in data protection or compliance
- Total duration
- 5 days (35h) + DPO thesis
- Exam format
- Strategic data compliance thesis (50%) + oral before a joint panel (lawyers + CISOs) (50%)
- Practical exam location
- ACRC headquarters, Dakar
- Validity
- 3 years (recertification required)
Curriculum
- 5h
Group-level data governance: group DPO, local relays, privacy committee
Strategy workshop
- 5h
Artificial intelligence and data protection: automated scoring, profiling, bias
Expert seminar
- 4h
Cybersecurity and data protection: aligning the ISMS and the privacy programme
Integration workshop
- 4h
Litigation and sanctions: African and international data protection case law
Advanced course
- 4h
Pan-African regulatory harmonisation: progress and implications for banks
Foresight lecture
- 5h
Privacy crisis management (massive breach, class action, media exposure)
ROOM#42 simulation
- 8h
DPO thesis defence before a panel
Oral examination
Skills acquired
- Run a privacy programme for a multi-zone pan-African financial group
- Manage a major data protection crisis (breach, sanction, media exposure)
- Build privacy requirements into AI and digital transformation projects
- Represent the institution before supervisory authorities and in standards bodies
AFP-DPO Instructor
- Prerequisites
- AFP-DPO Expert + ACRC accreditation
- Total duration
- 3 days (21h)
- Exam format
- DPO module delivered before an ACRC panel
- Practical exam location
- ACRC centre
- Validity
- 3 years (recertification required)
Curriculum
- 5h
Teaching compliance: explaining the law to non-lawyers
Seminar
- 6h
Designing DPO practical cases (breaches, PIA, data subject rights)
Workshop
- 10h
Delivering and assessing AFP-DPO
Demonstration
Skills acquired
- Train DPOs and compliance managers across the entire AFP-DPO track
- Adapt training to changes in the African data protection legal framework
Registration request
Leave your details: the ACRC team will confirm the dates and practical details of the next session.
AFP-DPO · Data Protection & Privacy
Other tracks
- AFP-RARisk Analyst
- AFP-PEPentester / Ethical Hacker
- AFP-GouvInformation Security Governance
- AFP-DGExecutives & Board Members: Cyber Leadership
- AFP-ACPInformation Security Audit & Permanent Control
- AFP-DSIChief Information Officer
- AFP-RSSIChief Information Security Officer
- AFP-CTICyber Threat Intelligence
- AFP-FINDigital Forensics & Investigation
- AFP-AIArtificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity & Professional Effectiveness
- AFP-EXLExecutive Leadership, Impact & Influence in Cybersecurity
- AFP-GAILeveraging GenAI in Your Cyber Job
- AFP-CISO101CISO 101: Taking Up the CISO Role
