July 7, 2018

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that the adoption of the National Identity Number (NIN) would promote socio-economic and political development in the country.

The Director General of NIMC, Mr Aliyu, Aziz said on Saturday in Lagos that NIN would also facilitate interaction between citizens and government.

“Like most modern economies where the national identity number is a national token that gives citizens access to government social interventions, the NIN will also grant citizens certain rights.

“The social security number that comes with NIN will facilitate interactions between citizens, the government and private sector institutions, thereby promoting socio-economic and political development.

“With the one-person-one-identity for life, the NIN will enhance citizens participation in the political process, enable citizens to exercise their rights, facilitate management of subsidies and safety net payments.

“It will also lead to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) management and facilitate service delivery in ministries, departments and agencies.

“Enhancing the work of law enforcement agencies, like public safety, policing, national security and border protection, and eliminating ghost and multiple identities and others, are all gains of NIN,’’ Aziz said in a statement.

According to him, NIMC is concluding plan of harmonising of data that will see all government agencies and some licensed private sector companies collecting data and sending to the NIMC as the sole repository of biometric data.

He said that it would shoot up the record in the NIMC database by a huge percentage and also a good source of database for the Independent National Electoral Commission to leverage upon for electoral purposes.

He said that pursuant to Section 27 (1) and (2) of the NIMC Act 2007, transactions including, applications for, and issuance of an International Passport; opening of individual and/or group bank accounts, all consumer credits; purchase of insurance policies would be done with NIN.

Others, he said, were the purchase, transfer and registration of land by individuals, National Health Insurance Scheme, registration of voters, payment of taxes, and pensions, and other transactions that have social security implications.

He said that with the recent gazette and publication of the mandatory use of the NIN Regulations, 2017, the commission would on a later date begin enforcement of the NIN for the transactions and more.

He urged Nigerians to enroll for NIN before its enforcing its deployment to avoid congestion.

“The government has provided the opportunity, the platform for enrolling into the National Identity Database to make life better in a modern, well managed and planned manner; the NIN gives the citizens that assurance,’’ he stressed