NIMC Is Building Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure, DPI — Odusote

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is playing a crucial role in building Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), says its director-general/chief executive officer, Engr. Abisoye Coker Odusote.

Odusote remarked that her outfit has partnered different government agencies to enhance identity management, payment systems, and data exchange over time to actualise the goal.

She explained that the DPI framework utilises data from NIMC and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) to facilitate secure access to public services.

She further stated that President Bola Tinubu has also reaffirmed his commitment to the initiative, emphasising its importance in driving national development and ensuring access to essential services.

According to her, the President Tinubu-led administration was building digital public infrastructure to ascertain the basic needs of people across the country.

She recalled that the president, represented by the Secretary to Government of the Federation, (SGF), Senator George Akume. spoke late last year at NIMC’s 6th National day of Identity Conference in Abuja where the commission also reaffirmed its commitment to providing secure identity services and protecting the citizens’ data, given its mandate as Nigeria’s foundational identity provider.

She noted: “He has acknowledged that without DPI, his focus in the areas of food security, poverty alleviation, economic growth, job creation and access to capital, inclusivity, the rule of law, and the fight against corruption which forms the eight point agenda will not be realised.

“That is why we are committed to supporting NIMC to ensure the harmonization of our identity to enable our people to have access to basic social amenities that we are providing for the people.”

The NIMC chief executive underscored the importance of data identity protection, urging the commission not to relent in its task of harmonising the nation’s database.

In pursuit of this goal, she said the commission has implemented enhanced measures to safeguard the information stored in its National Identity Database, adding these actions align with the commitment of NIMC.

The DG herself has, on different occasions, underscored the need for the commission to collaborate with relevant security agencies to uphold the utmost data security standards and regulatory compliance.

“As part of these new security protocols, all Licensed Verification Agents, Front End Partners (FEPs), and Diaspora FEPs will undergo rigorous security vetting to ensure adherence to global best practices in identity management. Any FEPs in violation will face sanctions by established regulations and the nation’s laws,” she said.

Furthermore, the NIMC boss affirmed that law enforcement authorities have been authorised to crack down on and apprehend individuals involved in online schemes targeting citizens’ data from other sources, noting that this followed numerous reports regarding fraudulent online platforms compelling Nigerians to submit their personal information for National Identification Number (NIN) modification or enrollment services.

Also of importance to NIMC’s task in accomplishing its role is birth registration, which fosters development to which NIMC and the National Population Commission, NPC are collaborating to actualise

In Eng. Coker’s view, the NPC must be commended for accelerating and digitalizing birth registration assuring that her office will continue to be a veritable partner in spearheading the country’s social and educational re-engineering.

While speaking during one of the partnership meetings, the NIMC boss said “Birth registration is not only important for the individual; it is also crucial for the development of the nation’. Digital birth and NIN registration will scale up access to government education, health care and other social benefits not only to the child but to all Nigerians”

She also maintained that birth registration is a fundamental right and a key component of the nation’s developmental plans.

Coker solicited the support of civil society and international partners for the success of the initiative and added that NIMC would continue to provide seamless NIN registration for Nigerians, most especially children below the age of 16 years.

The importance of welfare of workers cannot be over emphasized in achieving an organization’s mandate

It is in this regard that NIMC under the leadership of Eng. Coker has cleared all outstanding payments owed to the Front End Partners, FEPs for all enrolment that successfully hit the database and generated the National Identification Numbers, NINs

The FEPs were contracted in 2021 by the Erstwhile administration through the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to scale up enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN). However, the FEPs were only paid for one year of enrollment activities.

As part of the process of paying the outstanding money, all the FEPs were subjected to a revalidation exercise to ensure they met internationally acceptable standards, adhered to compliance, and followed best ethical practices

After the revaluation exercise, NIMC, with the support of the Identity for Development (ID4D) and the World Bank, began the process for the payment of the outstanding NIN enrolment money owed to the FEPs.

The outstanding money was not part of the World Bank-funded NIN Enrolment project.

The NIN Enrolment between 2021 and 2024 by the FEPs was a stop-gap measure approved by the erstwhile Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to scale up NIN enrolment pending the commencement of the World Bank/ID4D project.

NIMC through the ID4D and the World Bank, subsequently, paid all the outstanding money after the thorough evaluation.

“ I extend our deepest appreciation to the entire leadership of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for your unwavering commitment to enhancing the welfare and operational efficiency of enrollment partners, particularly the proactive efforts in addressing and offsetting the backlog of payments for 2022 to date,” said the managing director of one of the partners.

The MD of Slogani, Vincent Emiowele, further commended the commission saying ‘”NIMC Management, most especially the DG/CEO, should be commended for the payment of all the outstanding money owed to the FEPs; it is timely and highly appreciated ‘

The DG also expressed her gratitude to the FEPs and the Commission’s stakeholders for their support and dedication in populating the National Identity Database NIDB

NIMC’s importance and critical role in populating the NIDB cannot be over emphasized which is the reason why the National Assembly, NASS has also deemed it fit to strengthen its role

To this end, NASS has commenced a legislative exercise to repeal the 2007 NIMC Establishment Act to enact a new bill to strengthen the regulatory function of the commission.

The new bill is aimed at ensuring the efficacy and inclusivity of the Identity Management System.

According to the head, Corporate Communications Unit of NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, the amendments seek to fortify the foundational framework of the commission and its operations by expanding the scope of registrable persons.

“This updated and comprehensive bill embodies several proposed amendments designed to improve the effectiveness and inclusivity of the Nigeria ID System.

“The benefit to the country is a more comprehensive and inclusive identification system, which enhances national security, facilitates efficient service delivery and promotes financial inclusion,” Kayode said.

“The bill also aims to streamline the sharing of personal data, incorporating robust data protection measures to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ data and foster trust among citizens in the handling of their information,” he added.

Other benefits of the bill is to enhance NIMC’s administrative enforcement powers to ensure timely and accurate compliance with ID registration requirements.

“The NIMC repeal and enactment bill, when passed into law, will lead to a more streamlined registration process, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing the reliability of the Nigeria ID System,” Kayode stated.