Telecom
Alleged NIMC Data Breach Under Probe – Minister Assures
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced that the federal government is conducting a thorough investigation into alleged breaches in the national data system.
In a statement posted on his X handle, Tijani mentioned that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) are leading the investigation.
This response follows a report by Paradigm Initiative claiming that national identification numbers (NINs), bank verification numbers (BVNs), and other personal data of Nigerians were being sold on unauthorized websites for as low as N100.
On June 22, NIMC denied any partnerships with websites such as Idfinder.com.ng, Verify.ng, Championtech.com.ng, Trustyonline.com, and Anyverify.com, and advised Nigerians against using these sites.
In a separate interview, Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, revealed that his organization was able to purchase Tijani’s NIN slip for just N100.
While Tijani did not confirm or deny the data breaches in his post, he assured that the agencies “are on top of the matter.”
He said in a statement; “On NIN slips being purchased for N100 First, I have engaged my colleague, the Minister of Interior, who supervises the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and I am aware that his ministry and the agency are on top of the matter.
“Second, the @ndpcngr, a year-old agency under my supervision as minister, has over the last few months created data compliance mechanisms for all MDAs and has since started a thorough investigation as to the circumstances surrounding this alleged breach.
“Having established that, I do believe that it is important to share the proactive steps I have taken upon appointment to help strengthen technology application in government, despite the historical siloed approach to procurement and development.
“For context, in October 2023, a few weeks after my appointment, I released a whitepaper (which you can find here – https://b.link/NigeriaDPI), elucidating my position on technology application within the public service and our proposed approach to leveraging existing investment in technology to accelerate economic prosperity through improved government processes.
“While some may not have recognised the relevance of that publication, it has shaped our approach and activities towards strengthening the use of technology in government while protecting the nation and our citizens.
“The very last paragraph of the whitepaper speaks clearly to how our approach will address and mitigate against issues around data breach and make our systems secure. Since the release of that document, we have initiated the following:
⁃ Presentation to kick off an alignment with all permanent secretaries highlighting the importance of a structured Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach and the need for Data Exchange across MDAs to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity oversight for critical DPI
⁃ A 2-day workshop with Directors of ICT across all MDAs to enlighten and initiate a plan to strengthen DPI in Nigeria ⁃ Launched the #DevsInGovernment – a community of practice for all civil servants responsible for technology within the government which serves as a platform for enlightening and securing buy-in across the ICT cadre.
⁃ Launched the Responsible Data Management Course for Civil Servants (a partnership between the NDPC & Datadotorg) to improve on data handling and protection across government institutions.
⁃ Workshop with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure, to assess the status quo and agree on an implementation roadmap for DPI in Nigeria.
⁃ Conducted deep dives and knowledge exchange workshops on DPI and data exchange with Finland & Estonia as part of the design process for our Data Exchange System.
“Finally, we have submitted a request for a Presidential declaration to enable us to align all MDAs behind our goal to implement a data exchange system in Nigeria.
“We anticipate that by the end of the year, the initial pilot of the system should be in place and cover a minimum of 5 MDAs with oversight for supporting Nigerians through critical “life events” I share this update to encourage Civil Society Organisations and those interested, to read the Whitepaper and engage with us as we strengthen our DPI.”
Nigeria’s technology company, Globacom, has extended warm felicitations to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2024 Christmas celebrations.
In a goodwill message released in Lagos, Globacom urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of love and kindness during the festive season, especially in the face of prevailing economic challenges.
The company emphasized the importance of practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly the virtues of obedience to God and loving one’s neighbor as well.
“Christ taught many virtues including obedience to God and loving one’s neighbour as oneself”, the company said, adding, “Now is the apt time to practise these teachings by sharing with the needy”.
Globacom also encouraged Nigerians to extend the conviviality of Christmas beyond the festive season by fostering love, peace, and harmony, as demonstrated by God through the birth of Jesus Christ.
Assuring its customers of uninterrupted services throughout the Yuletide period and beyond, Globacom urged them to take advantage of its innovative products and services to stay connected and share the memories of the season with loved ones.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators to settle the long-standing N250bn USSD debt dispute before January 2, 2025.
The CBN and NCC also directed banks to pay the pre-Application Programming Interfaces (API) debt before July 2, 2025.
They also ordered that post-API debts be settled before December 31, 2024.
The directive was issued in a joint cirular titled, “2nd Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission on the Resolution of the USSD Debt Issue Between Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators.”
The circular dated December 20, 2024, was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, acting director of the Payments System Management Department, CBN, and Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC.
The regulators said, “In view of the foregoing, the CBN and the NCC hereby direct DMBs and MNOs as follows: 1. That 60 per cent of all pre-API invoices must be paid as full and final settlement.
“Payment plans (lump sum or installments) must be agreed upon between a concerned DMB and MNO by January 2, 2025. Installments must be based on equal monthly payments, with full payment due by July 2, 2025.
“DMBs must pay 85 per cent of all outstanding invoices issued after the implementation of APIs (i.e., February 2022) by December 31, 2024.
“Similarly, 85 per cent of future invoices must be liquidated within one month of service.”
According to the regulators, the transition to end-user billing will be activated only for DMBs and MNOs that comply with the payment conditions cobtained in the circular.
CBN and the NCC said they would provide further guidance on public enlightenment initiatives related to the transition.
The regulators also directed MNOs to implement the “10-seconds rule” for USSD invoicing.
This implies that any session lasting less than ten seconds will not be billable.
The regulators added, “Failure to comply with the terms outlined in this directive will attract necessary sanctions, ensuring that both DMBs and MNOs uphold their obligations.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft regulatory framework aimed at addressing fraud, spam, and other challenges in the Application-to-Person messaging sector.
The telecom regulator made this announcement in a statement.
The proposed framework, which was introduced during a virtual Stakeholders’ Forum, is said to be a key step towards enhancing the sector’s integrity and ensuring a fair, transparent environment for all parties involved.
The draft framework, presented by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Chizua Whyte, NCC’s acting head of legal and regulatory services, seeks to regulate the A2P messaging space.
The A2P messaging, used for notifications such as bank alerts, promotional campaigns, and government updates, has become a vital communication tool in Nigeria.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, including consumer protection concerns, fraud, and data privacy issues, as well as an unequal distribution of value within the ecosystem.
“The international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces gaps that have led to issues such as fraud, spam, and data privacy concerns. These challenges threaten the sustainable growth of this communication tool,” the NCC said.
The proposed framework aims to address these challenges by protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and holding service providers accountable.
“This forum marks a pivotal step towards addressing these challenges. We are here to engage with all stakeholders—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to refine the framework and ensure it meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.”
The NCC stressed the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in creating an effective regulatory environment.
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