Nigeria’s data protection commission brands CBN’s social media request illegal

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) on Thursday described the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new directive to banks on social media as illegal.

The apex bank had last week directed the country’s commercial banks to obtain the social media handles of their customers as part of Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.

It added that the directive was in line with the Customer Due Diligence (CDD) 2023 regulations meant to prevent financial crimes and terrorism financing through the banking system.

However, in a statement issued by NDPC’s Head of Media, Itunu Dosekun, the National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, said the CBN’s request was illegal and against the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA) signed by President Bola Tinubu on June 12.

He added that private or government data controllers or organisations obtaining individuals’ data are guided by laws.

READ ALSO:CBN directs banks to get customers’ social media handles to combat terrorism, money laundering

The laws, according to him, are to protect the interests of Nigerians and prevent the misuse of their data.

Olatunji said: “There are provisions in the law to go against any data controller be it private or government office, NGOs, hotels, because we are pro-citizens.

“The whole idea of this law is to protect the rights, the interests of Nigerians who are data subjects.

“We are already engaging with the CBN to let them know that what they have done is against the law because there are basic principles you must meet when you want to collect citizens’ data.

“There is data minimisation, meaning you don’t collect data beyond the purpose for which it was intended, purpose limitation, what purpose is it for.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now