By HANNIEL NOBOH

Creating policies is never enough; the real challenge lies in their implementation. A recent Vanguard editorial highlighted the government’s proposed credit scheme, which will be linked to users’ National Identification Number, NIN, to determine the creditworthiness of Nigerians.

The newspaper commended the Tinubu administration for initiatives like the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, designed to ease the financial burden on college students. But it also offered an important caution: policies without effective technological application risk becoming empty promises.

This warning is valid. From elections to tax administration, the role of technology in governance has become indispensable. Yet Nigeria has repeatedly struggled to use it effectively. Too many projects collapse at the starting line, or limp along far below expectations, largely due to poor implementation and mismanagement of the technology behind them.

Take the NIN-SIM linkage. It was meant to strengthen security and improve accountability. By January last year, the NCC reported that over 153 million SIMs had been successfully linked to NINs—more than half the country’s population. Yet insecurity remains rife. Kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes persist, partly because security agencies have failed to leverage this vast database to its full potential. The technology exists, but the will to use it effectively does not.

Or consider the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS. Designed to authenticate voters and simplify elections, BVAS should have been a breakthrough. Instead, it was plagued by frequent malfunctions, frustrating voters and undermining trust. As IT expert Damilola Akinsola observed, the device required regular software updates and stable broadband access—yet these basics were not adequately provided. The result was another case of technological potential wasted by poor infrastructure and planning.

The pattern is clear: technology can amplify reforms, but only if managed competently. Without that, the story will be no different for the new credit scheme.

To its credit, government is addressing a real need. Every year, thousands of Nigerians turn to loans to meet rising financial pressures. In March 2024, the Central Bank reported that personal loans had surged to ?7.52 trillion. By creating the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, CREDICORP, to oversee a new system linked to NINs, the administration is signaling its intent to make access to credit more transparent and reliable.

Like the credit score model in the United States, Nigerians will now be evaluated on a scale—between 300 and 800—based on repayment history, credit limits, and overall debt management. Those with strong records will have higher scores, enabling them to access loans more easily and encouraging others to repay promptly to build credibility. Such a system can reduce bias in lending, making decisions data-driven rather than discretionary. For hardworking Nigerians, this represents hope that accessing loans could finally be fair, efficient, and inclusive.

But lofty ambitions require flawless execution. If this scheme is not implemented with rigour, it risks joining the long list of abandoned or underperforming initiatives. Challenges such as data privacy, cybersecurity, systemic errors, and digital exclusion must be addressed head-on.

The way forward is clear. Government must invest in secure databases, backup systems, and robust internet infrastructure. Personnel must be trained to be technically competent in managing sensitive systems. Officials should learn from thriving fintech platforms like Paystack and global services like PayPal that already enable seamless loan transactions. And they should benchmark against countries successfully operating similar credit-scoring systems.

Skeptics argue that Nigeria isn’t “ready” for advanced technological solutions because of poverty, power shortages, or infrastructure gaps. These concerns are understandable—but readiness should not be an excuse for stagnation. If anything, our shortcomings make the need for efficient digital systems even more urgent. Technology, applied wisely, can bridge gaps far faster than outdated manual processes.

Nigeria’s leaders must stop treating technology as an afterthought. The tools of effective governance are already available. What is lacking is the political will and commitment to implement them properly. Unless that changes, policies will continue to fail—and public frustration will only deepen.

The proposed credit scheme offers Nigeria an opportunity to prove that it can move from policy to practice, from promises to performance. Whether it succeeds or fails will depend not on the idea itself, but on the government’s capacity to harness technology as a true driver of reform.

*Noboh, a Mass Communication student at Nile University and an intern at PRNigeria, wrote via: [email protected].