Tobi Adebayo
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has dismissed reports that Nigeria’s identity database was breached by hackers.
Director-General of the commission, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, in a statement issued on Tuesday, January 11.
Aziz stated further that the National Identity Number (NIN) slip does not grant access to the country’s identity database.
“Over the years, through painstaking efforts, NIMC has built a robust and credible system for Nigeria’s identity database. The Commission and its infrastructure are certified to the ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System Standard which are revalidated annually.
“The public should be aware that the possession of a NIN slip does not amount to access to the National Identity Database, but that the NIN slip is just a physical assertion of a person’s identity.
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“Under the data protection regulations, no licensed partner/vendor is authorized to scan and store copies of individuals NIN slips but rather authenticate the NIN using the approved and authorized verification platforms/channels provided.
“As part of its policies to protect personally identifiable information stored in the National Identity Database, the public may recall that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy through NIMC launched the Tokenization features of the NIN verification service. This solution is to safeguard the personal data of individuals and ensure continuous user rights and privacy, ” the statement read in part.
