With a $433 million (N1.5 trillion) World Bank support, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is set for a massive registration of Nigerians for the country’s mandatory National Identity Number (NIN).
The fund, which comes under the friendly ecosystem project of the World Bank, is to allow Nigeria to implement the identity ecosystem approach for the digital identity project under the National Identity Management System (NIMS).
On Wednesday, September 12, 2018, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari approved NIMC’s strategic roadmap for Digital Identity Ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Digital Identity Ecosystem is a framework that leverages on the existing capabilities and infrastructure of distinct government agencies and private sector organisations to carry out the enrolment of Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) as well as the issuance of Digital identity, known as the National Identification Number (NIN) to give Nigeria a credible identity management system.
The Ecosystem Project is being implemented in partnership with the World Bank, Agence Française de Dévelopement (AFD) and the European Union (EU). The project seeks to scale up enrolment, extend enrolment coverage nationwide, and reduce cost in data collection, speed of delivery, digital verification of identity anytime and anywhere in Nigeria through secure and protected channels.