National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) Director General, Aliyu Aziz, said this at the lunch time reform seminar on National Digital Identity Ecosystem Strategic Road Map for enrollment of Nigerians and legal residents into National Identity Database (NIDB) in Abuja recently.
The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with NIMC. Aziz urged Nigerians to make use of the opportunity to get registered and have an identity.
He said the National e-ID Card can only be issued to Nigerians registered into the national identity system and legal residents who have attained the age of 16 years and above, unlike the National Identification Number (NIN) which is assignable to Nigerians only.
“The National e-ID Card can only be issued to Nigerians registered into the national identity system and legal residents who have attained the age of 16 years and above.
“But the National Identification Number (NIN) is assignable to Nigerians only,” Mr Aziz said.
The NIMC boss said the e-ID card can be used for identification, payment and other applications in Nigeria.
According to him, the e-ID card will integrate existing identity database into government institutions and enable everyone to also receive a multipurpose ID card.
“As a government, we recognise the huge importance of moving towards a digital government therefore, we must embrace and harness the potentials inherent in digital identity to build and develop our country.
“Nations all over the world and in particular, developed countries have utilised identity as foundation to transforming governance and enhancing service delivery in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, voting, transportation, financial inclusion, access to basic service and welfare programmes,” he said.
Mr Aziz assured Nigerians that no one would be denied government services on account of not having the National Identity Number (NIN).
“The mandatory enrollment or collection of data by government agencies or licensed agents, along with private sector organisations to be licensed by NIMC under the digital identity ecosystem means fast-tracking of the enrollment process in the national identity system.
“We have a mandate to register all Nigerians and legal residents or at least over 95 per cent of the population within the next three years. It does not necessarily mean that NIMC must have offices or enrollment centres in all nooks and crannies of the country, especially given the current economic situation and realities in our country.
“Instead, in its wisdom the Federal Government approved the new digital identity ecosystem which ensures and mandates all government agencies earlier mentioned and private sector organisations to be licensed by NIMC, to collect citizens’ data using guidelines issued by NIMC through secured approved channels of communication and send such data to NIMC to generate NIN,” he said.
Mr Aziz enjoined Nigerians to take advantage of the NIMC sites to track their e-ID cards from any gadget especially smart phones, tablets, laptops or computers.
“Open nimc.gov.ng tracking id center : “Push the proceed button, fill in your first name and last name as well as your National Identification Number and click on the check now button. Wait for seconds while it is loading and the status of your NIMC card will appear on the display,” he said.
The NIMC boss said Nigerians can now use the USSD for NIN retrieval, adding that the USSD service would enable them to retrieve their NIN conveniently by using any type of mobile phone as it is also available on all mobile networks in the country.
“Dial *346# from the options displayed, select NIN retrieval, by typing in 1, if you are using the same phone number you enrolled with for your NIN.
“Or select NIN Search, by typing in 2, to retrieve your NIN by inputting some of your registered details (if you are not using the same phone number you enrolled with follow the steps displayed on your screen and provide the required inputs.
“Note that using this service attracts a N20 fee only deducted from your phone credit balance,” he said.
Earlier in his open remarks, the Acting Director-General, BPSR Dasuki Arabi said the world is currently facing political, economic, social and technological challenges.
Mr Arabi, who was represented by BPSR Director of Communications, Inyang Inyang, said the challenges have spurred government institutions to undergo various reforms to cope, address and manage change for improved performance on quality service delivery to citizens.
“Nigeria, like any other country of the world has undertaken various public sector reforms especially since the beginning of democratic rule in 1999.
“Part of the public service reform is to move the public service delivery standards to world class, by refocusing public institutions on the citizens and transforming the public service into a value based and well performing institutions,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that NIMC had captured 34 million Nigerians in its data base as at December 2018, the figure comprised of both adults and children.
