The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has beckoned on other agencies of government for harmonisation of disparate statistics with the National Identification Number (NIN) to engender a seamless database for the country.
Head, Strategy and Programme Office, Dr Alvan Ikoku, extended the gesture yesterday at a management retreat with the theme: ‘NIMC’s 5-Point Agenda on Strategy Development and Implementation’ in Lagos.
Checks by The Guardian showed that organisations like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others have aligned with the NIMC.
Currently, NCC has given up till February 28 this year for the 224 million subscribers, who are yet to link their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards with their National Identity Numbers (NINs) to do so, or risk losing their telephone lines permanently.
Ikoku said the focus of the commission includes reforming the economy to deliver sustainable inclusive growth; strengthening national security for peace and prosperity; unlocking energy national resources for sustainable development, as well as improving governance for effective service delivery.
To achieve the goals, he said NIMC would increase enrolment; hamonise and integrate data across agencies; issue GMPC and activate applets, besides access to services to add financial inclusion through G2PP and increase public and private sector participation in using the NIN as foundational data for identification.
According to Ikoku, all hands must be on deck to realise the objectives, noting: “already, some agencies have aligned with NIMC in terms of data hamonisation. 102 agencies need to align with NIMC for data hamonisation.”
Earlier, NIMC Director-General, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in her welcome address, said though the task before her establishment was to ensure all Nigerians have NINs, she, however, observed that most importantly, the commission has the responsibility to bridge the gap between government and the people, by ensuring there are answers to services through issuance of the NIN.
To her, President Bola Tinubu is keen on ensuring that the gap is bridged for the citizenry to benefit from his government.
Coker-Odusote, who disclosed that the NIMC has registered 104 million persons thus far, added that registration is ongoing across the federation and in the Diaspora.
She said everything is being done to promote a hitch-free exercise at the centres and other outlets nationwide.
The NIMC boss charged staff members to brace up for the task ahead, reminding them that decision-making requires courage and discernment.
“Our choices ripple through the lives of our fellow citizens,” she stated.
