By Angeline Mgbele, Senior Correspondent Abuja

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reassured  its stakeholders that its

servers have not  been compromised but are fully optimised at the highest international security levels as the custodian of the most important national database for Nigeria.

The clarification became necessary against the background some online media(not Cyber Era NG) reported the agency’s database has been hacked thus leading to the theft of millions of critical data by cybercriminals.

Cyber Era NG has earlier seen a statement  which says the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz,  as part of his new year message, said as the custodian of the foundational identity database for Africa’s most populous nation, NIMC has gone to great lengths to ensure the nation’s database is adequately secured and protected especially given the spate of cyber-attacks on networks across the world. The statement was inked on  behalf of NIMC by its Head, Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke.

It reads in part: “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.

NIMC has ensured maximum security of its systems and database because of the critical nature

of the identity data which the Commission collects, manages and maintains as critical assets for

the country.

The Commission assures the public that it will continue to uphold the highest ethical standards in

data security on behalf of the Federal Government and ensure compliance with data protection

and privacy regulations.”

The NIMC DG stated that the Commission did not use nor store information on the AWS cloud platform or any public cloud despite the usefulness of the NIMC Mobile App available to the public for accessing their NIN on the go.

He further stated that the NIMC MobileID application had no database within the app, nor did it store information in flat files. The Commission, he said, had made this app available to the public to reduce and eliminate any delay or challenge(s) in accessing one’s NIN.

NIMC further stated: “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.

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.

In compliance with the mandatory use of NIN for government services, the Commission also

hails the concerted efforts of several Federal Government agencies such as Joint Admissions and

Matriculations Board (JAMB), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Immigration

Services, Pension Commission (PenCom), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Correctional

Service, the Nigeria Customs, and a host of others, who have streamlined their services in line

with the use of National Identification Number (NIN) as the valid means of identification.

While wishing all Nigerians and legal residents a happy and prosperous new year 2022, Engr.

Aziz appealed to all stakeholders to embrace the identity, enrol and receive their NINs. Engr.

Aziz opined that the Federal Government’s efforts in providing security and economic solace for

all Nigerians will be enhanced when the entire population is enrolled into the national identity

database.”