Fidelity Bank has contested the data breach allegations made by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the subsequent fine of N555.8 million imposed on it.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a statement released on Wednesday, bank spokesperson Meksley Nwagboh refuted the NDPC’s claims, asserting that no data protection laws were violated.
The NDPC had accused Fidelity Bank of breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection (NDP) Act of 2023, citing insufficient cooperation from the bank during the investigation.
Fidelity Bank, however, maintains that it adhered to strict data protection standards. According to Nwagboh, the bank has been engaged in discussions with the NDPC to reach an amicable resolution. The bank detailed its interactions with the NDPC, stating:
“On April 30, 2023, we received an investigation notice from the NDPC concerning a complaint that an account was opened in someone’s name without consent. Our internal review found that the account in question was not operational, as it lacked necessary documentation and was closed after 30 days, in line with our data protection policies.”
The bank added that it had responded to the NDPC on May 2, 2023, affirming that no laws were breached, and the account had never been active.
Despite this, the NDPC imposed a N250 million ‘remedial fee’ in December 2023, which Fidelity Bank contested. A subsequent demand for N555.8 million on August 20, 2024, has further fueled the dispute.
