NIMC Denies Involvement in Selling Personal Data to Fintech Companies
- The NIMC refuted reports linking it to the sale of victims' personal information, including NIN and BVN, to Fintech companies
- The NIMC clarified that it will not be held responsible for any personal data shared by individuals for financial gain
- The EFCC had previously disclosed the fraud scheme involving young Nigerians selling personal information to Fintech institutions
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has refuted and denounced circulating reports that it is associated with those who purportedly sell victims' personal information, such as their National Identity Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), to Fintech companies.
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NIMC stated that it will not be held "liable for the sharing of personal data" in a statement released on Sunday by Kayode Adegoke, its Head of Corporate Communications.
“The National Identity Management Commission has noted with serious concern the recent statement on Nigerians selling their personal information, including that of the National Identification Number (NIN), attributed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)."
“The statement by EFCC that ‘this fraud scheme is largely driven by an army of young Nigerians offering a paltry payment of between N1,500 and N2,000 to their victims to make them surrender a copy of their personal information to them and sell the same information to some Fintech institutions for about N5,000’ is not only of serious security concern but also of 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,” the statement reads in part.
The response follows the EFCC's Friday disclosure of the purported ₦5,000 sale of victims' BVN and NIN personal information details to certain Fintech companies. The EFCC had emphasised that the impacted youths are responsible for the widespread fraud that is presently being investigated.
Nigerians have been cautioned by the NIMC on numerous occasions not to divulge their NIN to any unauthorised person or entity.
Equally important, according to the NIMC, was the requirement that any NIN used to obtain services be properly validated before being granted access.
In order to experience seamless benefits, such as the ability to regulate personal information on the NIN, the safety and security of the NIN, and other advantages, it has encouraged the general public to download the NINAuth App from the Google Play Store or Apple iOS.
Source: Getty Images
NIMC announces website
Legit.ng reported that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has advised Nigerians to modify their National Identification Number (NIN) details only through its official self-service portal.
In a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC on March 10, the commission emphasised that this caution was to ensure data security and integrity.
The agency reassured Nigerians that its self-service portal was secure and reliable and provided users with the convenience of updating their information from anywhere.
Source: Legit.ng
