The Nigeria Data Protection Commission, NDPC, has remarked that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s instruction to commercial banks, for them to collect their customers’ social media handles was illegal.
According to the commission, it was at present, engaging with the CBN on the matter.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of NDPC had made this statement on Thursday, June 29 in Abuja.
Recall that the CBN had on June 26, ordered banking institutions nationwide to secure the social media handles of their customers as part of enhanced Customer Due Diligence, CDD, regulations.
Olatunji had explained that there were imperative steps a Data Controller had to take before collecting data from its subjects.
Defaulting on these steps would result to a fine, as it was simply illegal.
The NDPC National Commissioner had also reiterated that the demand for customer’s social media handles was unnecessary, but that if the collection if the social media handles were done for the interest of the public, (eg: monitoring certain transactions) then proper awareness should be made among the customers.
Olatunji had then concluded his statement by announcing that inquiries would be made as to why the CDD regulation had come up, and then determine the best way to resolve the matter, in line with global best practices.
The NDPC’s stance is right considering that the CBN’s order had bordered on infringing the rights of the citizens.
The order itself is very questionable as several other personal details (email account, date of birth, place of birth, residential address) can be used in place of the customers social media account.
