The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed its ambitious plan to enroll 200 million Nigerians in the National Identification Number (NIN) system by the year 2025. This announcement was made by Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, during an interview on X Space on Sunday.
Adegoke stated that over 105 million NINs have already been issued to Nigerians and legal residents. He expressed confidence that NIMC would achieve its target within the next one or two years, emphasizing the importance of ensuring universal enrollment in the NIN system.
To meet its goal of enrolling 200 million individuals by 2025, NIMC needs to register an additional 95 million Nigerians. The NIN has become increasingly significant in various government initiatives aimed at improving security, governance, and service delivery.
Adegoke highlighted the efforts of the commission, particularly under the leadership of Abisoye Coker, the Director-General of NIMC, to streamline the modification and enrollment processes. He mentioned the development of a self-service platform that allows Nigerians, both domestically and abroad, to make necessary modifications to their NIN details from anywhere using various devices.
Previously, applicants had to visit NIMC offices for data corrections, but the introduction of the self-service portal has simplified the process and increased accessibility for Nigerians.
Last week, NIMC renewed its collaboration with IDEMIA Smart Identity to upgrade its biometrics system. IDEMIA specializes in cryptographic and biometric technologies, and the upgraded system will handle 1 million 1:1 and 1:N identity verification searches per day.
The extension of the system is necessary to accommodate the entire Nigerian population, as the original design was intended for 100 million national identity numbers. With this upgrade, NIMC aims to align with the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, which aim to provide legal identity for all by 2030.
