NIMC dismisses NIN data breach claims, launches probe

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied claims that Nigerians’ National Identification Numbers (NINs) and personal information were exposed and offered for sale, following a video circulating on social media, Nairametrics reports.

In a statement by Head of Corporate Communications Kayode Adegoke, the commission urged Nigerians to disregard the “misleading” claims, insisting “our systems are protected.”

Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote has nonetheless ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine whether any of NIMC’s tokenisation verification agents breached their licensing agreements, directly or through sub-licensees, reaffirming that “NIMC will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the identity information entrusted to the commission is properly protected.”

The scrutiny echoes past concerns, including a 2024 NDPC investigation into a private website allegedly retrieving NIN data, which prompted NIMC to restrict agent access and introduce mandatory security vetting.

With President Tinubu having signed the expanded NIMC Act into law in June, granting the commission broader powers over Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, the latest allegations put fresh pressure on NIMC to prove its data protection claims hold up under scrutiny.