Fidelity Bank has rejected the allegations made by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) regarding a data breach, which led to the imposition of a N555.8 million fine.
The bank, in a statement by its spokesman Meksley Nwagboh on Wednesday, clarified that it has not violated any data protection laws and maintains that it adheres to the highest ethical standards.
The NDPC had accused Fidelity Bank of breaching the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023. The commission also criticized the bank for not cooperating fully during its investigation. According to the commission, the bank mishandled customer data, which led to the penalty.
Fidelity Bank, however, disputed these claims, explaining that it has engaged in consistent and open communication with the NDPC throughout the investigation. The bank provided a detailed timeline of events, including receiving a notice of investigation from the NDPC in April 2023 regarding a complaint about an account opened without consent.
The bank’s internal investigation revealed that the account was never operational due to incomplete documentation. Following standard procedure, the bank blocked and eventually closed the account.
The bank emphasized that it had responded promptly to the NDPC’s inquiries and provided evidence demonstrating that no data breach occurred. Despite these efforts, the NDPC decided to impose a penalty.
Fidelity Bank noted that while discussions for an amicable resolution were ongoing, the commission unexpectedly increased the fine to N555.8 million.
The bank remains committed to resolving the issue while maintaining compliance with all relevant data protection laws.