• Says Tinubu, Shettima, Ribadu’s data sold online for N100 –Sesan
• Nigeria targets early 2026 for rollout of (DPI)
Paradigm Initiative, Nigeria’s digital rights group, yesterday, raised the alarm over what it described as a massive data breach that had put the personal information of even the country’s top leaders at risk.
The group claims the personal information of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu were being traded cheaply online for as little as N100.
The Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, Gbenga Sesan, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, stating that sensitive details such as National Identification Numbers (NINs), home addresses, passport photos, and mobile numbers were being sold online.
Sesan warned that the government was downplaying the severity of the crisis.
He said: “The data security problem is serious. Data belonging to the President, Vice President, National Security Adviser, top military officials, ministers and other senior government officials are also available online to anyone who knows their full name and date of birth.”
He further noted that despite Nigeria’s advancements in technology, digital rights such as privacy, online protection, freedom of expression, and access to information remained under threat.
According to him, arbitrary internet disruptions, weak enforcement of data protection, surveillance, and inconsistent digital policies continue to weaken citizens’ trust and hinder the country’s digital growth.
He expressed gratitude to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, Ford Foundation, Luminate, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, Mott Foundation, Open Society Foundations (OSF), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Internet Society Foundation for supporting the organisation’s work at a time when many non-profits faced challenges.
Sesan added, “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. They are pretending nothing is wrong so that nobody will punish them, but it’s already too late. ‘Citizens’ data is not safe.”
He noted that it had taken the matter to court and urged the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to clamp down on agencies leaking sensitive information. And called on citizens and the media to mount pressure on authorities to act.
In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer of Paradigm Initiative, Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, highlighted the organisation’s broader contributions across Africa.
She noted that PIN had produced reports, digital toolkits, award-winning short films, and scholarship programmes that have transformed the lives of young Africans.
Nigeria targets early 2026 for digital public infrastructure rollout.
MEANWHILE, Nigeria is targeting early 2026 for the rollout of its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework, with stakeholders projecting the first phase of implementation to begin by the first quarter of the year.
The plan was unveiled yesterday in Abuja at a two-day technical workshop of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Engagement on the Public Review of the Draft DPI Life Events Framework and the Draft Technical Standard for Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX), organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
For NITDA, the review of the draft documents marks a critical step towards building a trusted and functional ecosystem where government, businesses, and citizens can interact seamlessly in the digital space.
Officials say the framework will serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s e-Government system, enabling effective delivery of services and creating an enabling environment for innovation in the private sector.
Director of e-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Salisu Kaka, explained that the agency deliberately adopted a co-creation approach to ensure that the process captures the concerns of all stakeholders and lays a strong foundation for implementation.
