By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said it has registered more than 60 million Nigerians for the unique National Identification Number (NIN) records in the National Identity Database (NIDB).
The commission said the feat could not have been possible without the cooperation of all stakeholders, including the general public.
In a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Kayode Adegoke, the agency said, “The transformational value of a robust and inclusive foundational Identification system in today’s world cannot be overstated.”
”As a commission, we’re committed to keeping this momentum of scaling up and speeding up NIN issuance nationwide for better identification, authentication and improved service delivery,” Mr Adegoke added.
Mr Adegoke, who commended Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Isa Pantami for his leadership in driving the programmes of the commission, emphasised that NIN remains the primary identification for all citizens and legal residents in Nigeria.
The NIMC was established pursuant to Act No. 23 of 2007 to amongst others create and manage the NIDB, enrol citizens and legal residents and issue them a unique NIN, a general multipurpose card as well as harmonise and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies into the NIDB.
Section 27(1) and (2) of the Act, 2007 also mandates all government and private agencies providing services as captured in the NIMC Act to make the NIN a prerequisite for service provision to citizens and legal residents.
The NIN not only affirms the identity of an individual, but it also avails the government with the necessary information needed for national planning, creation of social intervention initiatives, allows individuals access services, claims and entitlement, tracks and monitors crime, curbs corruption nationwide amongst other numerous benefits.
A successful functional NIDB has been tagged as a crucial addition to the development of the nation; government agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), Pension Commission (PenCom), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), are currently in compliance with NIMC by making the NIN a prerequisite for transactions and accessing services they provide.
Modupe Gbadeyanka