The National Identity Management Commission has debunked news making the rounds about the exposure of sensitive data of Nigerian citizens.
The commission assured the public that the data of Nigerians has not been compromised and that it has not authorised any website or entity to sell or misuse the National Identification Number (NIN) or any other identities stated in the report.
The following websites: idfinder.com.ng, Verify.ng/signin, championtech.com.ng, trustyonline.com and anyverify.com are data harvesters not authorised by NIMC to access or manage sensitive data. NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services offered by these websites and not to provide their data, as these sites are potentially fraudulent and gather and store data to build illegal data services.
The commission assures the public that robust measures have been taken to safeguard the nation’s database from cyber threats. A secure, world-class, foolproof database is in place, meeting the stringent ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard, with annual recertification and strict compliance with Nigerian Data Protection Law.
NIMC advises Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorised and phishing sites, as this poses the danger of data harvesting and compromises individual data. The commission reaffirmed its commitment to upholding ethical standards in data protection, in line with the Federal Government’s directives and data privacy regulations. Moreover, licensed partners or vendors are not authorised to scan or store NIN slips but to verify NINs through approved channels.
A statement by the NIMC head of corporate communications, Kayode Adegoke said the commission is currently working closely with security operatives to apprehend these elements masquerading as online vendors and they will be made to face the full wrath 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.
