Nigeria’s leading digital rights group, Paradigm Initiative, has raised an alarm over a massive data breach that puts even the country’s top leaders at risk.
The group says the personal information of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and National Security Advisor (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu is being traded cheaply online.
At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, Paradigm Initiative’s executive director, Gbenga Sesan, revealed that National Identification Numbers (NINs), home addresses, passport photos and mobile numbers are being sold for as little as ₦100.
“All the way to the top, including the presidency, people’s NIN slips are being sold. This is a major risk, not only because this information should be private, but because it can be used to impersonate, get SIM cards, or even take loans,” Sesan said.
He warned that the government was downplaying the crisis.
“They are pretending nothing is wrong so that nobody will punish them, but it’s already too late,” he added. “Citizens’ data is not safe,” he said.
Paradigm Initiative said it has taken the matter to court and urged the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to clamp down on agencies leaking sensitive information.
The group also called on the citizens and the media to mount pressure on the authorities to act.
“Plug this hole and punish those who have offended. Make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Sesan said.
At the event, Khadija El-Usman, a senior programme officer with Paradigm Initiative, presented the London 2024 Nigeria Report, an annual assessment of digital rights in 27 African countries.
Nigeria, she said, scored 36 out of 60 on indicators including internet access, freedom of expression, data protection and artificial intelligence.
The report flagged internet throttling in August 2024, the arrest of journalists and ongoing gaps in the enforcement of the Data Protection Act.
It also noted Nigeria’s progress, including the rollout of 5G, the creation of the NDPC and the adoption of a national AI strategy.
However, El-Usman stressed that more must be done. She urged the government to respect the Freedom of Information Act, ensure affordable internet access and enforce compliance with data protection laws.
