The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that 110 million Nigerians have registered for the National Identification Number (NIN), a 2.4% increase from the 107.34 million recorded in May.
NIMC’s Director-General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, made the announcement at the sixth edition of the National Day of Identity in Abuja, themed “Digital Public Infrastructure: Enabling Access to Services.”
“The role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has become indispensable to Nigeria’s economic development, as it offers a framework that connects citizens to essential services,” Coker-Odusote said.
“NIMC has enrolled over 110 million Nigerians, providing a unique opportunity for the other two pillars of DPI to be layered on foundational identity for its effective development and adoption.”
Coker-Odusote highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure in enabling digital payments, digital money, digital identity, and digital processes.
She cited the student loan initiative, which has supported 257 institutions and registered 332,715 students for loans, as an example of how DPI can remove financial obstacles to education.
The NIMC boss emphasized the need for international collaboration to integrate innovative solutions and leverage global expertise, ensuring Nigeria’s DPI remains competitive.
She also stressed the importance of public and private sector partnerships to drive innovation within the digital identity space.
The enrolment increase may be attributed to the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) announcements threatening to block unlinked phone lines.
The NCC had set a September 14 deadline for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise, resulting in a significant increase in compliance rates.
Boluwatife Enome
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