Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission has opened a forensic investigation into the University of Lagos, LOTUS Bank, and Heckerbella Ltd, two months after investigative reporting first exposed how their joint “Smart ID Card” project may have violated students’ data rights.
The scheme, launched in March 2026, merged UNILAG’s student ID with a LOTUS Bank debit card. NDPC said the probe follows complaints that students’ personal data was used to open bank accounts without a lawful basis. The investigation will also examine consent practices, automated decision-making, and data retention policies under the 2023 Data Protection Act.
Investigations by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism brought to light these data rights breaches in June, without any confirmed enforcement action at the time.
National Commissioner of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, has warned educational institutions to urgently comply with existing data protection obligations when handling sensitive data of students and faculty.
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