Banks Can Demand Social Media Handles Of Customers, Court Rules
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Lagos Federal High Court has stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has the constitutional authority to request and obtain the social media information of its customers as part of standard Know-Your-Customer procedures, noting that this action does not infringe upon the right to privacy.
This ruling was made by Justice Dimgba during a case brought forward by Lagos lawyer Chris Eke, who sought to prevent the central bank from requiring customers to provide their social media details.
Eke had asked the court to deem the regulation in Section 6(a)(iv) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Customer Due Diligence) Regulations, 2023, as undemocratic, unconstitutional, null, and void insofar as it contradicts Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
The lawyer also requested the court to issue an indefinite injunction preventing CBN from enforcing the rule that mandates financial institutions to ask for customers’ social media profiles as part of the regular due diligence process.
In response to the lawsuit, CBN submitted a preliminary objection challenging the validity of the case and argued that the regulation did not intrude upon the privacy of the applicant as alleged.
Justice Dimgba acknowledged the merit of CBN’s preliminary objection in his ruling and proceeded to dismiss the lawsuit.