The National Identity Management Commission has reaffirmed its commitment towards creating, managing, operating and maintaining a secure National Identity Database and issuing the National Identification Number (NIN) to all Nigerians and legal Residents, in fulfillment of its mandate.

This was made known by the DG/CEO, Engr. Aliyu Aziz at a recent interview with NAN, during which he assured Nigerians that NIMC was on the right track towards ensuring that Nigerians and legal residents have digital identities.

“When I assumed office in 2015 enrolment was at 7 million, and as at today NIMC has about 35 million records in its database.” Engr. Aziz said.

He attributed part of the successes to the NIMC gazetted regulations of 2017 which makes the NIN mandatory for acquiring services like international passport, insurance, pension, bank transactions and other government services.

Another factor to this success is the harmonization of data with BVN, Sim registration, Voters registration, Passport and driver’s license.

He also stated that the ongoing diaspora enrolment is another key attribute to the success of NIMC, as competent Nigerian Companies who are in the businesses of providing similar services by themselves or in partnership with other competent companies in Diaspora jurisdictions were licensed to enroll Nigerian’s living outside the country to prevent them from being disenfranchised.

Engr. Aziz reiterated that NIMC is currently working with the World Bank, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and European Union (EU) on a strategic road-map that enables NIMC to work with other data collection government agencies in harmony so as to have a single database.

The approach termed “the ecosystem” will allow NIMC license competent and qualified public and private sector Service Providers to carry out enrolment and issue the NIN to Nigerians and legal residents. This will be sponsored by the developmental partners.

“Approval was gotten in September 2018 from the Federal Executive Council and NIMC is in the process of implementation, already NIMC has advertised expression of interest on national dailies and the NIMC website” He said.

Engr. Aziz also made it clear that NIMC has set a three year deadline for enrolment before enforcement begins, as the ecosystem approach will mean that there will be sufficient enrolment centers all over the country therefore, once enforcement begins enrolment will no longer be free to adults.

Corporate Communications