The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied recent allegations of a data breach involving sensitive information about Nigerian citizens. In a statement released on Saturday, Kayode Adegoke, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, assured the public that their data remains secure.
“NIMC has not authorised any website or entity to sell or misuse the National Identification Number or any other identity information,” Adegoke stated. The Commission identified several unauthorized websites, including idfinder.com.ng and Verify.ng, as illegal data harvesters.
Concerns arose on March 16 when reports claimed that the website expressverify was monetizing the recovery of NINs and personal information from the Nigerian identification database. This incident prompted the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to increase scrutiny of NIMC licensees due to the alleged data breach.
NIMC warned the public to avoid these fraudulent sites and refrain from providing any personal information. “Our secure, world-class, full-proof database is in place, meeting the stringent ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard,” Adegoke emphasized.
The Commission advised Nigerians to be cautious and avoid sharing their data with unauthorized sites, which pose significant risks. NIMC reiterated its commitment to maintaining ethical standards in data protection, in line with Federal Government directives.
Licensed partners or vendors, NIMC clarified, are only authorized to verify NINs through approved channels and are not permitted to scan or store NIN slips.
NIMC announced ongoing collaboration with security agencies to apprehend individuals posing as online vendors, who will face legal consequences. The Commission urged the public to stay vigilant against misinformation and rely on verified sources for accurate updates.
“NIMC remains committed to delivering secure and reliable identity management services and ensuring the highest level of security for its systems and databases, which are deemed critical national assets,” the statement concluded.