Toba Owojaiye ReportingÂ
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has unveiled a groundbreaking self-service mobile application in a significant development aimed at simplifying the process of obtaining a National Identification Number (NIN) and digital identification. This launch coincided with Nigeria’s fifth Identity Day celebration in Abuja.
Chucks Onyepunka, NIMC’s Director for Information Technology, introduced this innovative mobile app, emphasizing its potential to streamline NIN enrollment for all Nigerians. This digital tool promises to revolutionize how citizens obtain their NINs.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stressed the importance of harmonizing the country’s diverse databases to combat crime and accelerate national development. He highlighted NIMC’s role in providing access to over 100 million National Identification Numbers in the National Identity Database (NIDB).
Furthermore, Minister Tunji-Ojo emphasized the collaborative efforts of government agencies in enhancing public access to services like passport acquisition, bolstering border security, addressing insecurity issues, safeguarding national assets, rehabilitating offenders, and improving emergency response times.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Acting Director-General of NIMC, reiterated the profound importance of identity, noting that it unlocks access to essential services, social benefits, and pathways to personal and economic growth. She highlighted NIMC’s vision to provide every citizen and legal resident with a digital primary identity.
Coker-Odusote also emphasized the need for Nigeria to continue developing its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which has the potential to positively transform lives. The NIMC announced that the application will soon be available for download on both Google and iOS app stores, marking a significant step toward greater accessibility for Nigerians.