The chief executive officer, Barnksforte Technology Ltd, Mr Dayo Bankole, has assured that necessary security measures had been put in place to ensure that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) application is thorough, with no gaps for security breach or compromise.
Bankole, who gave the assurance, in a statement released on Thursday, disclosed that, the self-service mobile application, which is a giant stride in the digitalisation of biometric enrollment, was developed by NIMC in partnership with Barnksforte Technologies Ltd.
Recall that NIMC launched the self-service solution that allows Nigerians to register for the National Identification Number (NIN) from the comfort of their house through a smartphone in September. The platform was launched at the commemoration of the 5th Identity Day by the commission and the ministry of Interior in Abuja.
The commission’s acting director general/CEO, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the app would save Nigerians, including those in the diaspora from having to visit a NIMC office or partner-agent office for NIN-related issues; It also allows modifications, such as the change of one’s age, which the Barnksforte CEO said can only be done once on the application.
It is unfortunate that some people would disparage such a noble invention that has the power to alter the course of history in Africa and the wider world out of self-interest, Bankole alluded.
He noted that the narrative that Nigeria’s database would be compromised by foreigners using the self-service application was not only mischievous but an attempt to undermine NIMC’s capability.
To him, “Nigerians should be assured that their biometrics are safe, and the choice of the current NIMC director-general, an expert with proven years of experience, is not a mistake. I am disappointed by the masterminds of the wrong reports about the effort of the government to place Nigeria on the world stage in terms of technological advancement.
“Rather than carry out due diligence on the features of the application before going public, they are quick to put out reports to dissuade Nigerians from keying into the present government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in that regard.”
The CEO said, the NIMC is collaborating with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other local technical partners on one of the basic requirements for enrollment for NIN for Nigerians in the Diaspora, while stressing that the diasporans are required to provide an international passport number to be able to apply. ‘The application is the front-end identity solution and all data is sent directly to the NIMC database which is also well-secured,’ he said.
The technological expert stated that, after downloading from the Google Play Store or iOS, the enrollment process is simple. Authentication is a further step, according to Bankole, who also notes that, ‘the NIN is the key to accessing the self-service enrollment for those with it.’
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