The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has refuted claims of a data leak, stating that its database remains secure and has never been breached, News About Nigeria reports.
Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, made this declaration during an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, countering allegations that National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and other personal data of Nigerians were being sold online for as low as N100.
These allegations were initially raised by Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise, which reported that a website, ‘AnyVerify.com.ng’, was found selling the personal data of Nigerians.
The organisation expressed alarm over the apparent ease with which sensitive information was being commercially distributed.
In response, Adegoke stressed the security of NIMC’s database.
“What Paradigm Initiative has been saying is a false narrative. They claimed several government agencies, including NIMC, experienced data leaks. However, as a responsible and responsive organisation, we assure Nigerians that there has been no data leak. Our database is foolproof and secure,” he stated.
Adegoke further noted that even if a NIN slip is stolen, unauthorised access to government services would be impossible without biometric verification such as fingerprints and iris scans.
He assured the public that NIN slips cannot be purchased online due to stringent verification processes.
Supporting Adegoke’s statements, NIMC IT/IDD Director Lanre Yusuf clarified the role of licenced verification agents.
He acknowledged that while NIMC handles foundational identity, certain licenced entities require access to data for their operational duties.
However, he condemned unauthorised data harvesting and selling, likening it to an illicit “market square”.
“Data, though the new oil, should be protected and secured, and that we have been doing,” Yusuf said.
He also addressed concerns about a fake NIMC site, declaring, “That website is a fake site, and I am hearing about it for the first time.”
Yusuf added that NIMC has been collaborating with the Nigerian Police Force’s national cybercrime centre to take down such fraudulent sites.
He urged the public to refrain from sharing personal information on unapproved websites and to consult the NIMC website for a list of authorised stakeholder agencies.
