Forty-four per cent of women in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) lack National Identification Numbers (NIN), preventing them from accessing relevant digital services, especially from the government.

The Global System for Mobile Telecommunications Association (GSMA), which disclosed this, compared this to 28 per cent of men in LMIC, otherwise known as developing countries.

GSMA, which is a global telecom advocacy body for operators, said that since such NINs are often required to access e-government platforms, the absence of official identification directly limits women’s ability to use digital services. It said it compounded other barriers and meant women in developing countries risked being left further behind in e-government, e-learning, digital health and other online public services, reinforcing existing inequalities.

This GSMA observation comes as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) intensifies efforts to register more Nigerians for the National Identification Number (NIN), especially at ward levels.

NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr Kayode Adegoke, said the Ward Level Enrolment Drive, which officially commenced on February 16, 2026, was still ongoing and progressing steadily across the Federation.

According to him, to ensure smooth operations, members of the public were advised to check the NIMC website for the nearest designated enrolment point within their ward,cooperate with enrolment officials, provide accurate information during registration andvisit and follow NIMC official communication channels for verified information and updates: www.nimc.gov.ng.