The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has emphasized the importance of regarding the National Identification Number (NIN) as essential data for sustainable development. Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations at NDPC, made this call in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
Bamigboye highlighted the recent alleged data breach by expressverify.com, a licensee of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which is currently under investigation by the NDPC. He stated that the licensee would undergo thorough scrutiny to determine its role in the reported data breach during the NIN verification process.
The statement noted that while genuine businesses might have granted expressverify.com permission to use NIN verification credentials, the circumstances surrounding this permission are still being investigated. Bamigboye emphasized that only licensees cleared based on credible evidence of regulatory compliance would be permitted to conduct NIN verification in the future.
He urged the public to recognize NIN as essential data for sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal information and being vigilant when sharing data online. Bamigboye also mentioned that trainings would be conducted to ensure personnel and licensees are knowledgeable about their responsibilities under the Nigeria Data Protection Act and relevant regulatory protocols.
In addressing the recent incident, NIMC has barred all forms of access to its database as part of established remediation protocols. Limited access has been granted to select establishments providing crucial public services such as education and security. The ongoing investigation aims to determine how expressverify.com obtained credentials from bona fide third parties and to ascertain the liability of individuals involved in accordance with existing laws.
Bamigboye emphasized the importance of strengthening technical and organizational measures to protect data while ensuring that citizens are not excluded from various developmental frameworks due to lack of identification.
