Former Postmaster-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Postal Service, Bisi Adegbuyi, has underlined the integration of local councils into the national identity framework to accelerate progress in achieving universal identity coverage in the country.
 
In a statement yesterday titled ‘Empowering Local Governments to Strengthen Nigeria’s National Identity Framework’, Adegbuyi observed that the council areas were the missing link in the country’s identity management system.
 
He argued that since the councils were the closest administrative units to the people, political and administrative autonomy should be followed for efficient service delivery and bottom-up socio-economic development in Nigeria.
   
According to him, the council areas are uniquely positioned to address the gaps in the nation’s current system, by reaching remote and underserved communities.
He said despite significant progress by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), millions of Nigerians remain excluded from the identity system due to limited registration centres in rural areas, logistical and infrastructural challenges, and over-centralisation of identity management, stretching NIMC’s resources.
 
Adegbuyi said the exclusion not only denies citizens access to essential services but also undermines effective governance, security and development planning.
He said it is therefore proposed, in line with the ongoing efforts at repositioning local governments for effective service delivery and accelerated grassroots development, that the NIMC Act be amended to authorise local governments to collect and verify identity data while maintaining integration with NIMC’s central database. 
 
The ex-PG stressed that integrating local governments into the national identity system would increase registration coverage and reduce exclusion,  as well as encourage improved service delivery by providing accurate local data for planning, enhanced security and economic opportunities for citizens, and reduced operational costs for NIMC with attendant efficiency. 
 
“It must be stressed that this initiative is not about replacing NIMC’s role, but strengthening it through collaboration.
 
“It is also aimed at building a more inclusive and effective system that ensures every Nigerian is recognised and empowered by leveraging local government autonomy.
 
“Let us not make any mistake about it; this is not an attempt to usurp or encroach on the statutory powers of NIMC; rather, it is meant to complement NIMC’s commendable efforts in building a robust, inclusive identity framework,” Adegbuyi clarified.