The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has raised concerns over a surge in data fraud linked to the illegal sale of Nigerians’ personal information, warning that it will not be held liable for any repercussions faced by individuals who disclose their National Identification Number (NIN) to unauthorized persons.
The commission issued the warning in response to revelations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which reported that over 2,000 Nigerians have been defrauded by scammers who buy their personal data for as little as N1,500 to N2,000. The stolen information is then resold to fintech companies for up to N5,000.
Quoting EFCC’s statement, NIMC said, “This fraud scheme is largely driven by an army of young Nigerians offering a paltry payment of between N1500 and N2000 to their victims to make them surrender a copy of their personal information details to them and sell the same information to some Fintech Institutions for about N5000”
The NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr Kayode Adegoke issued a statement in Abuja on Sunday describing the trend as “a serious security concern” with “grave consequences for the NIN holders.”
“The NIMC wishes to state clearly that it will not be held responsible for any personal information shared by an individual directly or by proxy for the purpose of financial gain or inducement,” Adegoke stated.
He cautioned that disclosing personal data carelessly exposes citizens to identity theft, fraud and other criminal activities, and reminded the public that “Nigerians have been informed repeatedly in the past by the NIMC not to disclose their NIN to any unauthorised individual or organisation.”
The agency further advised service providers to thoroughly verify all National Identification Numbers (NINs) before granting access to services, emphasizing that proper verification is crucial to safeguarding users’ identities.
“To enjoy seamless benefits, including protection and control of their personal information, Nigerians are advised to download the NINAuth App on Apple iOS or Google Play Store,” the statement added.
Adegoke stressed that protecting digital identities is a collective responsibility and urged Nigerians to handle their NINs with the same level of secrecy and caution as they would their ATMs PINs or online passwords.
