Nigeria, with a population of over 170 million, has a long history of failures in finding an efficient and effective means of citizen identity management.
This includes registering, populating, issuing a proof of identity, and most importantly updating and retrieving data of citizens and legal residents from a secure database, when needed.
In Nigeria, this system consists of a centralized National Identity Database required to link multiple databases collected by various agencies, in order to harmonize and integrate all private and public sector ID schemes thus achieving a unified database.
Several agencies have decided to generate her database independently giving plausible reasons for same.
The Banks have the BVN (BANK VERIFICATION NUMBER) whose benefit includes having a unique identity that can be verified across the Nigerian Banking Industry (not peculiar to one Bank) and accepted as a means of identification across ALL Nigerian Banks. At the last BVN count as at April 2019, we have 37,463,793 (Thirty Seven Million Four Hundred and Sixty Three thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Three holders.
The Communication Regulators, NCC (NIGERIAN COMMUNICATION COMMISSION) also has a databank of subscribers from the communication Operators. This Databank was supposed to be a straightforward one, capturing all the unique thumb prints features of the individual subscriber.
One has to go through the following harrowing requirements for SIM Replacement which includes:1. Information about the three (3) most frequently called numbers from that SIM which must be verified by the Network Service Provider. The frequently called numbers must have been dialed at least five times over a 30 days period. 2. Where the SIM to be replaced is a data SIM, the subscriber will be required to provide any two of the following: i. Last recharge amount and date ii. Name of internet bundle value activated and data allowance allocated iii. Last three (3) sites visited. iii. An affidavit signed by the subscriber and a passport photograph of the subscriber where the replacement is to be done by a proxy. iv. Details of the last recharge on the SIM.
INEC (INDEPENDENT NATAIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION) also has PVC (PERMANENT VOTERS CARD) used as a Databank for elections in Nigeria.
The PVC stores information such as biometric data i.e. physical attributes, thumbprint, etc. The information on the PVCs is electronically programmed and can only be read /assessed electronically with a card reader.
NIMS (NATIONAL IDENTITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) is supposed to providea convenient and simplified process for enrollment into the National Identity Database for the issuance and use of the National Identification Number (NIN) and the National Identity (smart) Card.
They should be the clearing house for all other agencies holding the various databases.
But alas, getting this card is a tall order, considering the fact that one has to wait for upwards of 4yrs to get same.
It is so very important that NIMS must up her game to ensure that all the various databases with the various agencies are quickly streamlined and harmonized so as to have a system that can compare with that in better organized climes.
Now is the time.
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