The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) denied reports that its database was compromised as a result of the undersea cable cut which has disrupted the services of banks and telecom operators in Nigeria.
The Commission assured Nigerians of of safety and protection of their data. The Commission’s assurance came as response to report from some sections of the media concerning an alleged breach of citizens’ data by a private organization, XpressVerify.
A statement signed by the Commission and made available on Sunday says, that it offers NIN verification and other services through licensed partners and has never licensed XpressVerify as one of its licensed partners.
The statement reads in part: “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) received with concern news from some sections of the media pertaining to an alleged breach of citizens’ data by a private organization, XpressVerify.
The Commission wishes to state that it offers NIN verification and other services through licensed partners.
However, XpressVerify is not one of the Commission’s licensed partners. We express our gratitude to our media partners and the whistleblowers for bringing this to our attention and wish to assure Nigerians and legal residents that there is no data breach of any sort and the citizens’ data is safe and secure in Nigeria’s national identity database.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote has promptly ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter to find out if any of the Commission’s Tokenisation verification agents have in any way breached the licensing agreement, either directly or through any of their sub-licensees.
“Engr Coker-Odusote affirms the commitment of NIMC to data protection and privacy, and assures that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring the safety and security of the data of all enrollees. ‘Top-level security is in place to protect the NIN and other personal data of every citizen and legal resident”.
The Commission, however, reaffirmed its unwavering dedication to safeguarding, securing, and responsibly managing the data entrusted to it and affirmed that it understands the critical importance of maintaining public trust and confidence in our operations, and we will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability.