I found out on June 21 after a stranger texted me. My application slip was used to package a meal he got from a street vendor.
A corps member, Oluwadamisi Awe, says her sensitive passport application slip — obtained after applying online via the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal — was found used as food packaging at an akara stand in Lagos. Awe recounted discovering the breach on June 21 when a stranger messaged her a photo of the slip in use. “I applied directly through the NIS website … without the help of any agent,” she explained, noting she had received proof of payment and presumed the process was secure.
The document, which contained detailed personal data, was later spotted at a street vendor, prompting Awe to question why her private information was compromised. She tweeted,
“The slip contains every single information about my life rn.”
In response, the NIS emphasised its secure systems and advised applicants to avoid third-party agents and business cafés. Data governance expert Israel Olatunji Tijani stressed the need to eliminate hard-copy slips, recommending QR codes or fully digital processes to avoid future leaks.