NIMC Introduces New Way to Verify NIN Without Exposing Personal Details
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has introduced a new system that allows Nigerians to verify their identities digitally while giving them more control over how their personal information is shared.
The system, known as NIN Authentication or NINAuth, comes as NIMC responds to renewed claims that Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) database has been compromised.
NIMC has denied the claim, saying the National Identity Database has not been breached or compromised. The commission described the viral video behind the latest allegation as a recycled report from 2024.
But the development has also drawn attention to NINAuth and the way Nigerians’ identity information can be verified without repeatedly exposing sensitive details.
How NINAuth works
NINAuth is NIMC’s web, API and mobile-based identity verification service.
According to the official NINAuth platform, users can verify their identity through secure digital channels, including QR-code verification and a Sharecode generated from the NINAuth app.
The Sharecode feature is particularly designed to allow an organisation to confirm a person’s identity using a temporary code rather than requiring the person to repeatedly disclose detailed personal information.
NINAuth also supports in-person verification, where an organisation can display a QR code that the individual scans using the app.
NIMC said the system requires the explicit consent of the NIN holder before information is shared for Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures or other verification purposes.
What Nigerians can use NINAuth for
NIMC said NINAuth can be used for identity verification in several areas where Nigerians already need to prove their identity.
These include SIM registration, immigration and passport processing, tax filings and financial transactions.
The commission said the system allows people to verify their identity for such services without unnecessarily exposing their raw NIN or other personal information.
The official NINAuth platform also lists online and in-person identity verification among its uses, including digital onboarding and services requiring identity assurance.
This is significant because the NIN is increasingly connected to different services, meaning personal information supplied during identity verification can have implications beyond the original transaction.
NIMC responds to NIN data breach claims
The NINAuth development comes as NIMC is dealing with renewed claims that Nigerians’ identity information has been exposed.
A video circulating on social media alleged that NIN and Bank Verification Number (BVN) details could be purchased for as little as N100. It also made allegations about the sale of NIN information around an NIMC office in Lagos.
NIMC rejected the allegations.
The commission said the video was based on a 2024 report that had already been disclaimed and insisted that its National Identity Database had not been breached or compromised.
NIMC said it maintains a multi-layered security infrastructure to protect the personal data of registered citizens and legal residents.
It also urged Nigerians to obtain information about the National Identity Management System through its official channels rather than relying on unverified social media claims.
Why the new verification approach matters
The introduction of NINAuth changes the emphasis from simply providing identity information to having a more controlled process for proving identity.
For example, the official NINAuth platform says its Sharecode can be used to allow organisations to validate a person’s identity without exposing detailed personal data.
This means a person using a service that supports NINAuth may not need to repeatedly hand over their NIN and other identity details simply to prove who they are.
NIMC says the approach gives individuals greater control over their information while providing organisations with an official channel for identity verification.
NINAuth and Nigeria’s data protection rules
NIMC said the initiative is part of its compliance with the NIMC Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s official material describes the data protection framework as aimed at safeguarding privacy and regulating the processing of personal information.
NIMC said its NINAuth system is intended to support the fair, lawful and transparent handling of citizens’ personal information while strengthening security around identity verification.
For Nigerians, the immediate takeaway is that NIMC says the viral breach allegation does not represent a new compromise of the National Identity Database.
At the same time, the commission is promoting NINAuth as a new way to authenticate identity while limiting unnecessary exposure of the personal information attached to a person’s NIN.