Truecaller writes Nigeria on data breach - NITDA DG

Truecaller has written to the National Information Development Agency (NITDA) promising to harmonise the data of its Nigerian subscribers in line with the country’s data protection regulation, the NITDA Director General Mr Kashfu Abdulllahi Inuwa said yesterday.

Mr Inuwa, who disclosed this to Daily Trust in an interview at the sideline of the ongoing 39th GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said even with the firm explanation, investigation was still on to establish its culpability or otherwise.

‘’We have gone far on the investigation (of Truecaller data breach) and they have written us that they come to us on the way they can harmonise their operations so that they can comply with Nigeria’s data protection regulation. I don’t want to talk much about it but after we meet with them will let you know’’, the NITDA DG said.

NITDA in September commenced investigation into the breach of privacy of some Nigerians by Truecaller.

Mr Inuwa said the calleridentification service was putting ‘’many Nigerians in unsavoury conditions.’’

Mr Inuwa said initial findings revealed that the Truecaller Privacy Policy was not in compliance with global laws on data protection and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) in particular.

Mr Inuwa said some provisions of the Truecaller Privacy Policy were clearly excessive and invasive of the privacy of its users.

He said the provisions of the policy can be exploited to ‘’put many Nigerians in unsavoury conditions.’’

He said contrary to the expectation of many users, the Truecaller service collected far more information than it needed to provide its primary service.