NIMC denies reports of data breach

The National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, has strongly refuted claims suggesting a breach of its database.

In a statement issued on Saturday by Mr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, the commission assured the public that the data of Nigerian citizens remains secure and uncompromised.

Adegoke clarified that NIMC has not authorized any third parties or websites to sell or misuse National Identification Numbers, NIN, or other sensitive personal information.

He emphasized that recent reports insinuating a data breach are misleading and should be disregarded.

The statement specifically named several websites—idfinder.com.ng, Verify.ng/sign in, championtech.com.ng, trustyonline.com, and anyverify.com—as unauthorized entities that are improperly collecting and offering services related to NIN data. Adegoke warned that these sites are "data harvesters" and are not approved by NIMC to access or manage sensitive information.

"NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services these websites offer and not to provide their data as these sites are potentially fraudulent. Information provided on such platforms is collected and stored to support the illegal data services they provide," Adegoke said.

He said that the commission had adopted proactive measures to safeguard the nation’s database from cyber threats, and provide a secure, world-class, full-proof database.

According to Adegoke, the commission’s infrastructure meets the stringent ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standards, with annual recertification and strict compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Law.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to be 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", he added.