By Ezra Ukanwa

ABUJA—THE National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, on Tuesday, said over 90 million Nigerians have been captured in the country’s identity database.

NIMC Director-General, DG, and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Aliyu Aziz, disclosed this at a one-day roundtable for Desk/Liaison officers of ecosystem implementing partners, organised by the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development, ID4D, in Abuja.

He said in 2015, the country only had seven million Nigerians enrolled in the country’s identity database, but with the adoption of the unified ID system approach as well as the ecosystem model, the country can now boast of a robust identity database.

According to him, the unified ID system approach as well as the ecosystem model have had a tremendous positive impact on the enrolment figures. Currently the National Identity Database has over 90 Million records which is a sharp contrast from just 7 million when I assumed office in 2015.

He, therefore, called for more deliberate and long-term plans geared towards prioritizing national projects, build resilience, and capitalize on the opportunities inherent in a unified ID system in order to reposition the country economically.

On his part, the Project Coordinator, the Nigeria Digital ID4D, Mr. Musa Odole Solomon, reiterated commitment towards supporting concerned agencies in increasing the number of persons with National Identity Number, NIN, in Nigeria.

His words: “We are also mandated, as part of the robust system, to support the digitization of the civil registration system that registers births and deaths under the National Population Commission.

“The project is designed to support the grievance redress system of the National Identity Management Commission, by which it responds to queries or clarifications, resolves problems with implementation and effectively addresses complaints and grievances for project beneficiaries and ecosystem partners. It would be empowered with a centralized grievance register, contact centre and various channels for submitting complaints.

“The aim of the project is to strengthen the foundational ID system, and in the process, improve national data protection, bolster Nigeria’s digital economy and close the inclusion gaps in access to identification and related key services, while fostering inclusion for marginalized groups, such as persons living with disability, the rural poor, etc..

“The Nigeria Digital ID4D is genuinely interested in promoting inclusion of marginalized groups because of the realization that historically, ID systems participation of women and persons with disability.

He added that the Nigeria Digital ID4D project would leverage on training opportunities to close the basic skills gap and promote the adoption of digital technologies across Nigeria.