Violation of digital rights of Nigerians

Violation of digital rights of Nigerians

Started
11 August 2021
Petition to
Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) and 3 others
Victory
This petition made change with 8,763 supporters!

Why this petition matters

Started by Dennis Ekwere

#Covid19 affected and is affecting the poorest of poor livelihood more than any in Nigeria, thereby exposing very high numbers to vulnerabilities of exploitation and deepened inequalities.

There are many online loan app companies in Nigeria operating as financial institution companies aka FinTech; targeting low income earners and the poor with very high interest rate and shortest time for repayment date plan, pushing many people into deepened poverty instead, while the FinTech companies inconsiderably continue to exploit and dig gold out of the poor masses.

The poor keep getting poorer, become helpless and voiceless given this situation while FinTech companies keeps getting richer and richer at the detriment of the weak and vulnerable in our society.

Worrisome, FinTech companies in Nigeria use defamation of customer's character as strategy for debt recovery knowing very well the customers are vulnerable, weak and voiceless. During application for loan, they will capture your contacts on your phone and use it against you at loan repayment default with several messages of defamation sent to your contacts. This act is embarrassing, unethical, unprofessional and amount to violation and abuse. And I wonder why should this be in Nigeria?

They will use all the confidential information given out during the filling of form by customer for loan application without your consent, and send same to the public. Upload your pictures on social media and tagged you "CRIMINAL" and that you are on the run and wanted by the police. All just because of loan.

It is unthink of, and to me is outright violation of customer's data/digital rights. FinTech companies also collect ATM PIN of customer and deduct and over deduct monies from customers bank accounts without authorization. All this are abuse and violation of cutomers just becuase they are voiceless and weak.

I am by this petition acting as a voice to voiceless Nigerians, demanding that the concern authorities in Nigeria must rise up to their responsibilities and call these FinTech companies to order. Especially amongst them are - Okash, Sokoloan, Lcredit, Credit9ja, Fastmoney etc.

Nigerians are tired of this ongoing digital rights violation in a space supposed to be as highly regulated as financial institution.

Recognizing that there are regulation guiding the operations of FinTech companies in Nigeria, I hereby challenge the concerned authorities that the operations of FinTech companies in Nigeria is abusive, contrary to stipulated guidelines and amount to continous infringement of consumers rights.

Aware that nobody is above the law, and that FinTech companies can not be above the law in Nigeria. Then they can not use and continue to use defamation of defaulters as tool for debt recovery. As this has caused many poor Nigerians to commit suicide, mental health/distress and depression, deepened poverty, lost of jobs, family and relationship instability, diluted trust in the eyes of the public etc. And FinTech companies will do all these without any consequences? That's why I am writing this petition for the hurted souls including those that have died as a result of this conduct, those who have no voice to voice the pain/injury this unlawful actions have caused them, and as a whole seeking for redress and justice for all.

This petition is to bring to fore what Nigerians are going through in the hands of FinTech companies in Nigeria and let them know that digital rights are human rights. And that customers rights are human rights too.  

STOP THE USE OF DEFAMATION OF CUSTOMERS CHARACTER AS TOOL TO DEBT RECOVERY NOW. 

 

 

Victory

This petition made change with 8,763 supporters!

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Decision-Makers

  • Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN
  • National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria
  • National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigeria
  • Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Council, NigeriaFCCPC