NIGERIA MAY ENFORCE MANDATORY USE OF NATIONAL ID NUMBERS BY JANUARY 2019
NIGERIA
MAY ENFORCE MANDATORY USE OF NATIONAL ID NUMBERS BY JANUARY 2019
NIMC Headquarters
in Abuja
The enforcement of the mandatory use of the National
Identification Number (NIN) by all Nigerians might come into full
implementation from January 1, 2019.
This
follows the federal executive council’s approval of the immediate
implementation of a strategic roadmap for “digital identity ecosystem” in
Nigeria.
The
digital identity ecosystem is a framework that leverages on the existing
capabilities and infrastructure of distinct government agencies and private
sector organisations to carry out enrolment of Nigerians and legal residents
into the national identity database.
The
framework will also allow issuance of digital identity, known as the National
Identification Number (NIN) to all Nigerians to give the country a credible and
robust identity management system.
The
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said the approval of the
identity ecosystem by FEC would permit the full implementation of the provisions
of the NIMC Act 23, 2007.
The
provisions of the Act include the enforcement of the mandatory use of the NIN
by January 1, 2019, and the application of appropriate sanctions and penalties
on defaulters as provided under Section 28 of the NIMC Act and Regulations.
Director-General/CEO
of NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, said the approval of the strategic roadmap for the
identity ecosystem for Nigeria was in line with the federal government’s
efforts to reposition the country’s status in the global economy.
Mr Aziz said
the implementation of the roadmap will gradually move the country towards
achieving the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) launched in April 2017.
He noted
that the ERGP was designed “as an omnibus strategy for the government to meet
the critical needs of the citizenry in areas such as food security, energy,
transport, human capital development, but more critically developing a local
digital economy.”
The NIMC
DG thanked the president, Muhammadu Buhari, and the vice president, Yemi
Osinbajo, as well as members of the FEC, National Assembly, World Bank, French
development agency – AFD, the European Union/EIB and members of the
Harmonisation Committee for the achievement.
He also commended other industry interest groups whose expertise and contributions
fostered harmonious discussion and created the platform for the development of
the roadmap.
Besides,
he urged all agencies of government and the private sector who are directly or
indirectly into the business of data capturing and service provision requiring
identification of persons to note the guidelines, processes, procedures for
licensing public and private sector organization.
He said
these requirements would soon be published.
Enforcement
of the mandatory use of the NIN for services and transactions based on the
mandatory use of the NIN Regulations 2017, will commence thereafter.
NIMC said
duly licensed organisations would be required to carry out the front-end
services of the identity ecosystem, including data capturing, authentication
and verification services, in compliance with the provisions set out in the
Nigeria Biometrics Standards.
