The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has revealed that over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled into the National Identity Number (NIN) database since the commencement of the nationwide registration exercise.
Speaking at a media conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, Coker-Odusote emphasized that the enrollment process remains ongoing across both rural and urban communities.
“We have enrolled many Nigerians and are still counting. We are committed to enrolling more Nigerians before the end of this year,” she said.
She highlighted the commission’s partnership with the World Bank through the Nigeria Identification for Development (ID4D) project, which has enabled the inclusion of private sector actors in the enrollment drive.
“Through our Frontier Partners initiative, private sector agents now support us in registering Nigerians nationwide, helping to reach more communities,” she added.
According to the NIMC boss, the commission has created job opportunities across the country and equipped its state and local government offices with upgraded facilities to improve service delivery. She noted that trained NIMC staff are available to assist applicants with enrollment and data modifications.
Coker-Odusote also discussed revisions to the pricing framework for NIMC services, stating that while some service fees were removed or reduced, others were adjusted upward. She emphasized the commission’s efforts to improve convenience, including the introduction of online pre-enrollment and biometric data capture processes.
“People often move due to work or family, and need to update their records. Rather than making them queue at our offices, we developed an online modification platform,” she said.
The platform, known as the Self-Assist Platform, allows users to securely log in using biometric authentication and update their records while adhering to cybersecurity and data protection policies.
Coker-Odusote further explained that the NIMC NIN Authentication App now offers a secure integration with the commission’s backend infrastructure, giving individuals more control over their personal data and improving identity verification processes.
She also noted that NIN enrollment is now a requirement for accessing student loans, a move she said will enhance financial inclusion and support educational advancement.
“The government has provided access to loan facilities for students, and all that is required is a verified NIN. This ensures a single, authentic source of personal information,” she said, adding that the system helps reduce identity fraud and duplication.
On operational improvements, the NIMC DG said the commission had engaged cybersecurity experts and adopted international best practices, leading to a 40% reduction in extortion and corruption-related issues.
“We are constantly improving. Training and retraining of our staff is ongoing to ensure efficient service delivery nationwide,” she concluded.
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