NOA Denies Overreaching Mandate Over National Learner ID

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has dismissed allegations by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that it is overreaching its mandate by promoting the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN).

The NOA Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, clarified in a statement on Thursday that the agency was neither the originator nor the implementing body of the proposed identification system.

Issa-Onilu explained that the agency’s role was limited to communicating government policies, programmes and activities to Nigerians, as well as facilitating engagement between citizens and the government.

The clarification followed criticism from NANS, which rejected the proposed LIN, describing it as an unnecessary duplication of the National Identification Number (NIN).

NANS President, Akinteye Afeez, had accused the NOA of exceeding its responsibilities, arguing that the agency’s mandate was to facilitate communication between the government and citizens rather than introduce a new identification system.

The students’ body subsequently called on the Federal Government to suspend the proposed LIN, insisting that the NIN already provided Nigerians with a unique means of identification.

However, Issa-Onilu said the NOA’s mandate covered government policies and programmes generally and was not limited to initiatives formulated or implemented by the agency.

He said, “As the primary government agency for public orientation, NOA works across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that citizens receive accurate and understandable information about government policies, programmes and activities.”

The DG stressed that policy formulation, implementation and communication were separate responsibilities, adding that the relevant authorities remained responsible for the LIN initiative.

According to him, the NOA’s responsibility is to explain the policy to Nigerians while providing platforms for citizens to express their views, concerns and reactions.

He said the approach was consistent with the agency’s renewed public engagement strategy, particularly its “Pulse of the Nation” initiative, which collates citizens’ opinions and communicates them to the government.

Issa-Onilu acknowledged NANS as a key stakeholder and agreed that students should have a voice in policies affecting them.

He, however, maintained that communicating a government policy did not amount to formulating, imposing or implementing it.

The NOA boss urged NANS and other stakeholders to distinguish between the responsibilities of institutions driving government policies and those of the agency mandated to communicate such policies to the public.

He said the agency remained open to discussions with NANS and students on the LIN and its relationship with the NIN, stressing that such engagement was part of its role as a bridge between the government and citizens.