Nigeria Data Protection Commission investigates UNILAG, Lotus Bank, Hackerbella over alleged data breaches
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission NDPC has initiated a forensic investigation into the University of Lagos UNILAG, Lotus Bank, and Hackerbella Ltd. This action follows public complaints alleging that students' personal data was used to open bank accounts without a lawful basis. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations for the NDPC, confirmed the investigation. Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, has instructed the investigation team to thoroughly assess the collection, use, and disclosure of the affected students' personal data. The probe will also examine the compliance of all involved parties with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. Key areas of investigation include Data Protection Impact Assessments, the legality of credit scoring or profiling, the use of automated decision-making, privacy notices, data-sharing agreements, lawful processing bases, data minimisation, purpose limitation, retention policies, and technical safeguards for data subjects' rights. The NDPC emphasized the significant responsibility institutions have in processing personal data lawfully, fairly, transparently, and securely, warning educational institutions to comply with existing data protection directives. The investigation is currently ongoing.
