Nigeria preaches robust data protection measures as digital ID issuance hits 115M

With the number of persons obtaining the National Identification Number (NIN) in Nigeria rapidly growing, the need for vigorous data protection measures is becoming more preponderant.

Recently, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said NIN issuance has reached 115 million people, and that efforts are being deployed to expand coverage. This came not long after the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, harped on the importance of having a sound data protection mechanism.

NDPC sharpening data protection arsenal

Speaking during the 2024 Nigeria ICT Impact CEO Forum and the 12th Africa Digital Awards IT Forum which took place in Lagos last month, Olatunji explained that the NDPC is amplifying action to effectively be at the forefront of the fight against identity theft and data leaks, as reported by The Sun.

Lately, the NIMC has come under the spyglass for data breaches reportedly involving the sale of personal data of many Nigerians including high ranking officials. In the wake of these reports, digital rights advocates have called on the NIMC and other relevant stakeholders in the identity management chain to up their vigilance in order to square up to the challenge.

According to Olatunji, the NDPC is on an all-out effort to streamline ID management which is vital for data protection. He said the importance of this cannot be over-emphasized given Nigeria’s digital innovation and digital economy ambitions.

“As Nigeria continues to embrace digital innovation, it is imperative to adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity and data protection,” the official is quoted as saying.

He went on that apart from getting the right framework and technology, data protection requires awareness and knowledge on the part of data subjects.

“Data subjects have the right to know why their data is being collected and how it will be used. Individuals should be mindful of the information they share online and question the necessity of specific personal details,” he advised as quoted.

Strategic reforms behind growing NIN adoption

In a recent exchange with online newspaper publishers of Nigeria, the Executive Director of NIMC, Bisoye Coker-Odusote, said reforms they introduced in the last year are driving the growing NIN numbers.

Speaking through a representative, the executive said the NIMC issued around 15 million NINs in one year, riding on the back of actions such as the expansion of the ID database capacity to 250 million, a revalidation of NIN enrollment partners and the clearance of a backlog of debts owned some of them, Blueprint reports.

The official said these measures are part of a larger plan by the ID authority to put in place an ID system that enables seamless delivery of services across sectors.

Already, Coker-Odusote said of 115 million registrants, three million farmers have received agriculture grants and 800,000 students have gotten loans using their NINs.

Last month, the government said 25 million Nigerians had received cash assistance with the help of NIN verification.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  data protection  |  digital ID  |  identity management  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria  |  Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC)