NIMC denies breach of Nigeria’s national identity database

Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) denied that the country’s National Identity Database had been breached, saying a video circulating on social media repeated a report from 2024 that the commission had previously disputed. The denial is NIMC’s account; the available information includes no independent technical assessment confirming whether the database was accessed or compromised. In a statement posted on its X account on Thursday, NIMC described the breach allegation as false and unfounded. The statement was issued by Kayode Adegoke, the commission’s head of corporate communications. NIMC said the database had not been breached or compromised, and characterized the video as a recycled version of the earlier report. The commission said it maintains layered security measures to protect information belonging to registered citizens and legal residents. It expressed concern that unverified claims could mislead the public and cause unnecessary alarm, and urged people to consult its official channels for information about the National Identity Management System. NIMC also pointed to its NIN Authentication service, known as NINAuth.