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Tag: NIMC DG

  • NIMC’s licensees undergo more scrutiny

    NIMC’s licensees undergo more scrutiny

    It would no longer be business as usual for licencees of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to provide verification services to citizens as the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) promised a close scrutiny of their operations.

    Our correspondent gathered that the NDPC’s decision was to forestall any data breach from third party agents who are unaware of the provisions of Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and NIMC Privacy policy on citizens data.

    Both NIMC and NDPC have recently expressed concerns over the incidence of unauthorised National Identity Numbers (NIN) verification by expressverify.com, and launched investigations to reveal the truth.

    It was gathered that a third-party who, among others, was originally authorised to provide verification services to citizens and genuine businesses might have allowed expressverify.com to use its NIN verification credentials to conduct verification.

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     However,  the Nigeria Data Protection Commission said at the weekend that “the circumstances surrounding this permission is still under investigation”. A statement signed by the Head of Legal Enforcement and Regulations of the NDPC,  Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, noted that no stone would be left unturned to ensure compliance with data protection and privacy of citizens by all regulatory authorities and stakeholders.

    Bamigboye said: “To remedy this incident, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in line with established remediation protocols, barred all forms of access to its database.

    “Though necessary, barring all forms of access affected all genuine and crucial verification requests.

    “After a painstaking review, limited access has been granted to a few establishments that are providing pivotal public services such as education and security.

    “Ongoing investigation – by relevant agencies – seeks to establish the medium through which expressverify.com obtained the credentials of bona fide third parties and to determine the liability of persons involved in line with extant laws. “

    At the moment, data processing by licensees generally are to be scrutinized and only those that are cleared based on credible evidence of regulatory compliance will be permitted to carry out NIN verification going forward, Bamigboye asserted.

    According to him, intensive training will be conducted to ensure that personnel and licensees are abreast of the duty of care and the standard of care mandated by the Nigeria Data Protection Act, NIMC’s Privacy Policy and other relevant regulatory protocols.

    He called on Nigerians to see NIN as an essential data for sustainable development.

    “While existing technical and organisational measures are being strengthened to ensure the protection of this data, it is important for citizens to ensure that they are not left unidentified in various frameworks for development.

    “It is equally important to be vigilant when sharing personal information on various online platforms,” Bamigboye stated.

  • NIMC DG tasks FEPs on professional conduct

    NIMC DG tasks FEPs on professional conduct

    Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote has charged the agency’s Front End Partners (FEPs) to be good ambassadors of the commission.

    She also warned that NIMC would not spare any of them found engaged in unwholesome practices.

    Coker-Odusote said this in Abuja at the opening of a 4-day training for the first batch of newly revalidated Front End Partners according to a statement by the Technical Adviser on Media & Communications to the DG/CEO, NIMC, Ayodele Babalola

    The DG assured participants that the revalidation was a management decision to sanitize the enrolment process, while also auditing invoices inherited by her administration on the outstanding debts owed the FEPs.

    “On assumption of office, we observed countless infractions and unwholesome practices in the NIN enrolment and modification services. Most of the reports of infraction, upon investigation, were done by some of our Front-End Partners.

    “I am not exonerating NIMC staff completely but as you may be aware, on different occasions, I led sting operations to some of our offices, where some staff were caught red handed perpetrating unwholesome conducts.

    “And don’t forget that I inherited huge debts owed FEPs for over two years. Some of the invoices and claims were questionable, requiring proper auditing.

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    “The rot in the process and system left me with no option than to take deliberate steps towards sanitizing the enrolment process. 

    “And to this end, I directed that NIN enrolment activities at all FEP centres be suspended temporarily, pending the outcome of a revalidation exercise.

    “My decision to direct the revalidation of all FEPs was not targeted at any one or group. It was a step towards sanitizing the system and processes, while ensuring the integrity of data in the country’s identity database. It was also one of the steps towards proper auditing of the claims made by some of our FEPs. The revalidation exercise was part of the steps towards ensuring compliance with the highest standards of data security among the FEPs.

    “Please be advised that the revalidation exercise is being implemented in phases. This is just the first and not the last.

    “Let me use this medium to remind you all that NIN enrolment is free of charge in Nigeria. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption. We shall therefore not spare anyone found perpetrating corrupt practices or any other form of infractions,” she added.

    While thanking President Bola Tinubu for his support, the DG reiterated her earlier promise to ensure that FEPs with genuine claims are paid whatever they are owed very soon.

    Commenting on the development, representatives of the newly revalidated Front-End Partners, Haruna Abdu of MURNA Foundation, Osah Uche Prince of GOMFID Mutiservices and Stellamaris Oseruo of JOREAL Nigeria Limited, took turns to commend the new NIMC management for taking steps towards sanitizing the system.

    While describing the revalidation process as transparent, they urged the commission to strengthen its monitoring processes to ensure that no loopholes are left for exploitation in the enrollment exercise.