The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has firmly denied allegations of a data breach involving Nigerian citizens’ personal information. Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, issued a statement on Saturday to address these concerns.
Recent reports had circulated, alleging that certain websites were offering to sell the data of Nigerians. However, NIMC assured the public that their data remains secure and has not been compromised.
“The Commission, at this moment, assures the public that the data of Nigerians have not been compromised and the Commission has not authorized any website or entity to sell or misuse the National Identification Number (NIN) amongst all the identities stated in the report,” Adegoke stated.
NIMC also warned Nigerians against submitting their data to unauthorized phishing sites, highlighting several websites—idfinder.com.ng, Verify.ng/sign in, championtech.com.ng, trustyonline.com, and anyverify.com—as unauthorized data harvesters. These sites are not sanctioned by NIMC to access or manage sensitive data.
“These websites are data harvesters not authorized by NIMC to access or manage sensitive data. NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services these websites offer and should not give their data as they are potentially fraudulent. Data provided by the public on such websites are gathered and stored to build the data services they illegally provide,” the statement read.
NIMC reassured the public of the security measures in place to protect the nation’s database from cyber threats. The Commission’s infrastructure adheres to the stringent ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard, undergoing annual recertification and strict compliance with Nigerian Data Protection Law.
“Consequently, the public should know that the Commission has taken robust measures to safeguard the nation’s database from cyber threats— a secure, world-class, full-proof database is in place,” Adegoke continued. “Furthermore, NIMC advises Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorized and phishing sites. This poses the danger of data harvesting and compromises individual data.”
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to upholding ethical standards in data protection and complying with federal government directives and data privacy regulations. NIMC emphasized that licensed partners or vendors are not authorized to scan or store NIN slips but are permitted only to verify NINs through approved channels.
The Commission is collaborating with security operatives to apprehend those masquerading as online vendors and will ensure they face the full extent of the law.
“NIMC urges the public to remain vigilant against false information and rely on verified sources for accurate updates. The Commission remains committed to providing secure and reliable identity management and upholding the highest level of security for systems and databases, which are critical national assets,” the statement concluded.