BVN, NIN Sale: A Threat to National Security
By Shuaib S. Agaka
Just weeks ago, national alarm bells rang over the dangers of SIM recycling-where inactive mobile numbers are reassigned without proper verification, sometimes leading to unauthorized access to bank accounts and sensitive platforms. Now, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC revealing that thousands of Nigerian youths are trading Bank Verification Numbers BVNs and National Identification Numbers NINs, a far more disturbing pattern is taking shape: Nigeria's digital identity infrastructure is dangerously compromised.
The implications are staggering. The country's cybersecurity framework, already riddled with loopholes, is now showing deeper fractures. Trust-the bedrock of any digital system-is evaporating fast. Ironically, while palliatives are now scarce and heavily guarded, Nigerians' personal data floats freely across black markets and rogue platforms. The very act of surrendering biometric and personal details to the state-under promises of security and service delivery-has become the gateway to exploitation.
Nigeria's digital identity architecture is built on three core pillars: the NIN managed by the National Identity Management Commission NIMC, the BVN under the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, and the SIM-NIN linkage enforced by the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC. Together, these systems were intended to unify identity verification, enhance financial inclusion, curb fraud, and support digital governance.
