Your NIN is your identity, stop giving it away

What the report says

The Observer published a viewpoint urging Ugandans to be more cautious about sharing their National Identification Number (NIN) and other personal details when asked by security guards, businesses or service providers. The article argues that in Uganda’s expanding digital economy, such information has become central to banking, school payments, taxation and insurance, and can also expose people to fraud and identity theft if mishandled.

Citing the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO), the piece says only about 14,000 organizations are officially registered to handle personal information, while more than 500,000 entities may be collecting or processing data outside the legal framework. The publication presents this as a major gap between digital growth and oversight, and says citizens often hand over IDs, phone numbers and addresses without knowing how the data will be used or stored.

The article attributes to PDPO National Director Baker Birikujja the warning that collecting personal data without registration is a criminal offence, and notes that people have rights over their data, including correction, access and erasure in some cases. It also cites ISACA Kampala Chapter president Maurice Taremwa in calling for stronger cybersecurity investment and governance from company leaders.

More broadly, The Observer says Uganda needs tighter enforcement, audits and accountability for organizations handling personal data, and argues that public trust in the digital economy depends on protecting the people behind the data.