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The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched an app to facilitate self-service enrollment of National Identification Number (NIN) and digital identity cards. The NIN consists of 11 non-intelligible numbers randomly chosen and assigned to an individual at the completion of enrolment into the National Identity Database (NIDB).
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The online solution platform was launched at the weekend to mark NIMC’s 5th Identity Day Commemoration with series of activities led by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the acting Director General/CEO of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
According to NIMC’s Director, Information Technology/Identity Database, Chuks Onyepunuka, “the ‘NIMC Self-service NIN Enrollment and Digital ID’ will help people enroll for their NIN in the comfort of their homes. With this application, people could be able to enrol for their NIN in the comfort of their home and without stress.”
Data harmonization across all MDAs
The NIMC was recently moved to the Ministry of Interior from its erstwhile Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
“As you’re all aware, with the movement of the NIMC to my domain the Ministry of Interior this marks my very first official commemoration of the ID Day with you all,” said the minister who stressed on the importance of data harmonization across all government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
His words: “I have stated that the harmonisation and management of national identity is a major means of mitigating and controlling crime as well as for national development.”
Data protection to guarantee trust in economy
Also at the event, the National Commissioner/CEO, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji noted that with digitalization across the globe, the emergence of data economy, and the increasing importance of digital identity, it has become imperative to take data protection and privacy seriously in order to guarantee trust and confidence in Nigeria’s economy.
There are now over 100 million NINs in the NIDB under the management of NIMC making it even more urgent to have a structured approach to managing the increasing data ID of Nigerians and non-Nigerians domiciled in the country, NIMC’s boss Coker-Odusote, stressed even as she assured that the commission working to ensure that challenges around the ID enrolment are addressed effectively nationwide.
