We’ve Enrolled Over 115 Million Nigerians – NIMC DG, Engr Coker-Odusote
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced a landmark achievement, scaling Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment to a record-breaking 115 million within one year.
This feat was achieved under the leadership of Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director General/CEO of NIMC.
Speaking at a two-day roundtable with online newspaper publishers in Abuja, Coker-Odusote attributed the success to strategic reforms and innovations aimed at fostering inclusivity, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and expanding access to NIMC services.
She also announced the clearance of two years’ backlog of payments owed to Front-End Partners (FEPs), a feat achieved in her first year as the substantive head of the commission.
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Represented by Director, ICT/Identity Data Base; Engr. Lanre Yusuf, the Director General said the expanded national identity database, which can now host 250 million identities, up from 100 million previously, has been a significant factor in the increased NIN enrolments.
NIMC has also improved its service delivery, deploying over 800 mobile enrolment devices and establishing territorial offices across the country to reduce waiting times for registration.
Additionally, the commission integrated advanced technologies, including biometric advancements and artificial intelligence, into the registration and verification processes to enhance data security and citizen control over personal information.
This has ensured that the NIN registration process is secure, efficient, and reliable.
Coker-Odusote reiterated her commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 16.9), which seeks to provide legal identity for all by 2030.
“NIMC shall not rest until every citizen and legal resident of Nigeria is captured in the country’s identity database,” she declared.
The DG expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and to the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project for its support in driving NIMC’s vision.
She urged online publishers to join hands with NIMC in building a secure and inclusive digital identity system that empowers every Nigerian.
In her closing remarks, Coker-Odusote emphasized the importance of collaboration and stakeholder engagement in achieving NIMC’s goals.
She called on all stakeholders, including online publishers, to support NIMC’s efforts to create a robust and inclusive identity ecosystem that benefits every Nigerian.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), Mr. Martins Odiete, commended NIMC for its proactive approach in engaging online publishers.
Odiete thanked the DG and management of the commission for fostering this collaboration and recognized the importance of leveraging online platforms in delivering public policies to their intended audiences.
According to him, “Online is the new engagement ground if public policies must reach the intended audience. NIMC, with the entire nation as its scope, has found a worthy ally in ACOE.”
Odiete assured the commission of ACOE’s unwavering commitment to the partnership, promising that the collaboration would yield significant benefits.
“The commission will get more than enough value for its partnership with our association. Together, we will amplify NIMC’s achievements, educate the public, and ensure the success of its mission,” he added.
The roundtable event, which brought together online newspaper publishers and NIMC officials, provided a platform for discussion and collaboration on issues related to digital identity, data protection, and national development.
