By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that over 63 million residents have been captured in the ongoing National Identity Number (NIN) exercise.
The Director-General of the commission, Mr Aliyu Azeez, who disclosed this, said that the figure recorded showed an increase in the enrolment mark of six million in 2015.
It also indicates a leap from the 60 million Nigerians enrolled into the National Identity Database (NIDB) a few months ago.
He said this during the 3rd National Identity Day celebration themed Identity, A Tool for Sustainable Digital Economy And National Security held at Banquet Hall, State House, in Abuja.
According to Mr Azeez, the development so far has been made possible by the commitment and support of the general public, the President and the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Isa Pantami, by approving the synchronization of NIN with Bank Verification Number (BVN) and Sim cards.
The approval also sprouted the compulsory requirement for NIN during examination registrations, banking services, driving license processing, international passport, and other public services.
Mr Azeez then reiterated the agency’s focus on attaining the 184 million target set for it by the Minister in the next four years with a monthly target of 5 million enrollments.
The NIMC was established according to Act No. 23 of 2007 to amongst others to create and manage the NIDB, enrol citizens and legal residents and issue them a unique NIN which will harmonise and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies to the NIDB.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya