Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a digital rights advocacy group, has raised serious concerns regarding unauthorized websites selling Nigerians’ sensitive personal and financial data at alarmingly low prices, starting from as little as N100.
The firm revealed that the original National Identity Number, NIN of both the high and low citizens can be gotten without restrictions with just N100.
PIN highlighted major breaches in data privacy rights and cybersecurity across the country, emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention.
According to PIN, the website was visited 567,990 times in February 2024 and 188,360 times in April 2024.
The advocacy group called for thorough investigations into the operations of these websites and urged the government to enhance cybersecurity measures to safeguard citizens’ personal information.
In response to these alarming developments, Paradigm Initiative has issued legal notices to multiple government agencies.
They are pursuing legal action following reported incidents involving websites such as XpressVerify and AnyVerify, which have allegedly been involved in the unauthorized sale of personal data.
Stakeholders, including government agencies and civil society organizations, are being urged to collaborate closely to address the escalating data privacy crisis.
The protection of citizens’ personal information has been underscored as a critical priority in the digital age.
