Two websites selling the personal information of millions of Nigerians, idfinder.com.ng and championtech.com are still operational two days after the country’s Identity Management Commission (NIMC) confirmed they were unlicenced. After media reports on Friday, NIMC blacklisted five “data harvesters” illegally collecting the personal information of Nigerians.
Despite the blacklist, one of those websites, championtech.com.ng was active on Monday afternoon, checks by TechCabal showed. The website allows users to verify National Identification Numbers (NIN) and buy data and cable subscriptions.
A second website, idfinder.com.ng is still online, but has restricted new user signups.
On Friday, a TechCabal article detailed how AnyVerify sold personal data for ₦190 (13 cents). AnyVerify’s website was taken down following that report. Two other websites, trustyonline and verify.ng have also been taken down.
The existence of unlicensed personal data verification websites raises questions about data privacy and the management of NIMC’s database.
In March 2024, XpressVerify, an unauthorized website, also sold the personal information of millions of Nigerians before it was taken down.
Despite these incidents, NIMC insisted licensed partners or vendors are not authorised to scan or store NIN slips but to verify NINs through approved channels.
*This is a developing story
