In her effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 16.9, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has seek partnership with Online Publishers to ensure all Nigerians have a means of identification by 2030
The Director General /Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote who disclosed this at a 2- day Roundtable for online newspaper, said the commission under his watch in the last one year has expanded National Identity Database capacity by 250 million
He said this is to cater for the estimated population of Nigeria
“Pursuant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16.9), which seeks to ensure that everyone on the earth planet has a form of identity by 2030, NIMC shall not rest, until every citizen of Nigeria (at home and in the diaspora) and legal resident are captured on the country’s identity database.
“Today is particularly important as it marks my one year in office at the helm of affairs of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC as the substantive DG/CEO.
“As we gather here today, we are united by a common goal: to build formidable bridges between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the influential voices of the online media landscape.
“In the digital age, the influence of online media cannot be overstated. The internet has become a primary source of information for many, particularly the youth.However, it is also a breeding ground for misinformation and rumours, which can severely impact the reputation and trust in organizations.Our focus today is to address the dual role of online publishers – as key partners in disseminating accurate information and as potential sources of misconceptions.
“We recognize that your influence extends beyond reporting our successes even silence, in the face of misinterpretations, let alone the publication of such, can have adverse effects.
“This Roundtable aims to forge a partnership that leverages your strengths to support our mission while ensuring that any misconceptions are promptly and accurately addressed.It will create a platform for NIMC to explain our activities and achievements directly to you, ensuring clear communication and mutual understanding.
“Over the past one year, our administration has been driven by the will to innovate fit-for-purpose and sustainable reforms geared towards advancing the Nigeria Digital identity ecosystem.
“Today, I am proud to share our achievements since we resumed office and how it has advanced our vision of inclusive and robust identity systems for all Nigerians”.
On the enrollment and public sector engagement, Engr Coker-Odusote said the commission has addressed slow and insecure NIN enrollments by deploying over 800 mobile devices, revalidating FEP licenses, and establishing territorial offices, leading to a reduction in waiting time and increasing enrollment to 115 million enrollees.
He said “It is worthy to note that all outstanding two years backlog payment owed, our FEPs has been cleared.
“The National Identity Database capacity has been expanded to about 250 million capacity in order to cater for the estimated population of Nigeria.
All of these are part of measures to ensure effective service delivery.
“NIMC continued to collaborate with state governments to integrate NIN into residents’ registration systems, positioning NIN as a key tool for identity verification and national planning.
“We have upgraded our existing verification services to facilitate effective verification. Upgrade of the verification platform will see an improved 99% uptime of our services which will be launched soon. Improved trust and control over who handles citizens’ private information through the release of an app. We are introducing a NIN authentication app that will guarantee citizens’ data privacy and put control in their hands in accordance with National Data Protection Regulations.
“To address fragmented identity management, NIMC integrated the NIN with key agencies such as the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), upgraded technological systems like the NIMS Middleware, and implemented monitoring systems.
“These actions facilitated seamless inter-agency collaboration, improved data security, and solidified NIN as a foundational identity verification tool”.
END.
