Digital rights advocacy group, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), has raised alarm over what it described as a massive data breach that has compromised the personal information of millions of Nigerians, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, PIN’s Executive Director, Gbenga Sesan, revealed that sensitive details such as National Identification Numbers (NINs), home addresses, passport photos, and mobile numbers are being sold online for as little as ₦100.
“The data security problem is serious,” Sesan warned. “Data belonging to the President, Vice President, National Security Adviser, top military officials, ministers, and other senior government officials are available online to anyone who knows their full name and date of birth. This is not only a privacy risk but a national security threat.”
He accused the government of downplaying the crisis and urged the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to clamp down on agencies and actors responsible for the leak.
Sesan warned that such information could be exploited to impersonate individuals, register SIM cards, or secure fraudulent loans.
Despite Nigeria’s technological progress, Sesan lamented that citizens’ digital rights, including privacy, data protection, and freedom of expression, remain weak due to arbitrary internet disruptions, poor enforcement of data protection laws, and inconsistent policies.
Chief Operating Officer of PIN, Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, highlighted the organisation’s ongoing work to advance digital rights across Africa, including producing reports, toolkits, short films, and scholarship programmes that empower young Africans.
Presenting the London 2024 Nigeria Report, PIN’s Senior Programme Officer, Khadija El-Usman, urged the government to strengthen enforcement of the Data Protection Act, respect the Freedom of Information Act, and ensure affordable internet access.
She noted that Nigeria scored 36 out of 60 in the report, ranking alongside Rwanda and Senegal, and flagged issues such as internet throttling in August 2024, the arrest of journalists, mass disconnections, and weak compliance monitoring.
El-Usman, however, acknowledged progress, including the rollout of 5G, the establishment of the NDPC, and the adoption of a national AI strategy.
“The lesson is clear,” she said. “Nigeria’s digital rights ecosystem remains fragile. Stronger enforcement, affordable internet, and an end to unjustified shutdowns are critical for development. Digital rights are human rights.”
PIN called on civil society, the media, and citizens to put pressure on the authorities to act, warning that the cost of inaction could be disastrous for national security and public trust.
