&w=64&q=75)
Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has announced the start of an investigation into a potential data breach at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
In a statement issued via X on Wednesday, June 26, Tijani stated that the NIMC, in collaboration with the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), is probing the incident.
Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise, initially raised the concern, reporting on Thursday, June 27, that Nigerians’ National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and other personal data were being sold online for as little as N100.
Paradigm Initiative identified a website, ‘AnyVerify.com.ng,’ as the platform for selling this data.
Despite these allegations, NIMC spokesman Kayode Adegoke reiterated on Sunday that their data had not been compromised, providing reassurance to the public.
Nevertheless, Adeboye Adegoke, a Senior Manager at Paradigm Initiative, claimed on Channels Television that the minister’s personal data was indeed purchased for ₦100 from certain websites.
Minister Tijani mentioned he had discussed the issue with Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, and assured that they are addressing the situation.
“Second, the NDPC, a year old agency under my supervision as minister, has over the last few months created data compliance mechanisms for all MDAs and has since started a thorough investigation as to the circumstances surrounding this alleged breach,” Tijani said.