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Nigeria is steadily progressing towards its target of providing digital identification to 148 million citizens by June 30 this year, as highlighted in the World Bank’s 2023 annual report.
According to the comprehensive 82-page report released last month, Nigeria, under the auspices of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and its Nigeria Digital Identity for Development (Nigeria ID4D) initiative, has successfully issued 104.16 million national identification numbers (NINs), constituting 70 percent of the 148 million target.
Entitled “Putting People at the Center of DPI,” the report sheds light on the remarkable advancements made by the Identification for Development (ID4D) and Digitalizing Government to Person Payments (G2Px) Initiatives. It underscores the achievements, lessons learned, and the impact of these initiatives in fostering safer and more inclusive digital ID and government-to-person payment systems, with a strong emphasis on prioritizing people’s needs.
The report attributes Nigeria’s progress to a series of innovative measures aimed at expediting the NIN issuance process. These measures include the enhancement of the android enrollment software, resulting in significantly reduced enrollment times, collaboration with civil society organizations to encourage the enrollment of more women, and the successful introduction of child enrollment through pilot programs.
Despite these advancements, the World Bank acknowledges that several challenges persist, necessitating further efforts to streamline the NIN issuance process and enhance its inclusivity. One recommendation put forth is for the NIMC to explore real-time NIN generation to drastically reduce wait times for applicants.
The report also recognizes ongoing efforts to implement safeguards ensuring data security and privacy.
Funding for Nigeria’s digital ID program is provided by the World Bank through the International Development Association, the European Investment Bank, and the French Development Agency.
In a move to provide strategic oversight for the digital ID project, Nigeria’s federal government recently established a steering committee tasked with ensuring comprehensive governance and coordination.
Restricted Access to NIMC Database for Licensed Agents In response to a reported database breach incident aimed at safeguarding personal data, the NIMC has restricted third-party licensees’ access to its digital ID repository.
A statement issued by the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) on March 28 revealed that an investigation into the data incident uncovered unauthorized use of NIN verification credentials by a third party, leading to data compromise on the expressverify.com platform.
To mitigate future risks, the NDPC has limited access to the database, granting clearance only to select establishments providing critical public services such as education and security. Furthermore, stringent training programs will be conducted to ensure compliance with data protection regulations and protocols, emphasizing the importance of duty and standard of care mandated by the Nigeria Data Protection Act and NIMC’s Privacy Policy.
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