NIMC under fire over N28,574 DOB correction fee — Data Privacy lawyer cites legal breach 

He maintained in an interview with Naijaonpoint on Monday that the Commission allegedly failed to inform Nigerians about the exceptions for payment on DOB correction as enshrined in relevant laws.

Naijaonpoint previously reported that NIMC had on May 10, 2025, released a set of new prices for all its services relating to data modification on the National Identification Number (NIN) database and others.

According to the new price list, correction of date of birth (DOB) on the NIN database now costs N28,574.

This represents a 75% increase when compared with the N16,340 being charged initially for the same service.

Naijaonpoint reports that Article 36 of GENERAL APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTIVE (GAID) 2025 deals with the Exercise of Right to Rectification.

Section 4 of Article 36 states that where data rectification is for the purpose of correcting an error made by a data controller or a data processor in inputting the personal data of a data subject, the data subject shall not be required to pay in order to correct an error which is not his or her fault.

The section further stated that it is important to ensure that a data subject is provided with manifestly ample opportunity to verify his or her data before such data is submitted in a permanent format.

Speaking to Naijaonpoint, Ige stated that the law is clear that a data institution like the NIMC must ensure that Nigerians who want to rectify their names must be allowed to know why the name is wrongly stated.

“That’s not what the law says. 

“What the NIMC needs to do is to clarify that position and make sure Nigerians don’t pay 28k for the mistake of the NIMC,” he stated.

NIMC, in its executive summary to the new price list, noted that the new price regime was influenced by the interrelated mandates to increase revenue drive, tax unification to broaden the tax net, social intervention, and new additions to its bouquet of products and services.

“Following due consultation with all departments and in consideration of the above and current market realities of inflation at 32.70%, we propose an upward review in the fees and charges for our product and services with a markup at least 20% across with exceptions to certain services per their peculiarities,” the Commission stated.

NIMC said it also considered the obtainable charges by sister agencies on similar services, i.e., Passports and Drivers’ License Services.

It added that it also took into consideration the Commission’s service for the public good, general interest, maintenance of its infrastructure, and the desire for self-sustenance.