Nigeria capturing biometrics for 2018 census

Nigeria’s Federal Commisioner of the National Population Commission (NPC) has revealed that biometric system technology will be deployed during the 2018 census to capture facial impressions and fingerprints of citizens, according to a report in Leadership.

The NPC is determined to use biometrics in the census to prevent people from gaining advantage through manipulation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) as only persons physically seen will be counted and biometrics taken.

“To us in the Commission, the significance of the EAD exercise goes beyond the conduct of the 2018 Census as we plan to establish and maintain a national frame including locality list and house numbering for future censuses and surveys in line with the mandate of the Commission under Section 24 of the Third Schedule of the 199 Constitution products from the EAD exercise can also be used by NIPOST to generate zip codes for country,” explained the Federal Commisioner.

She added, “It is in this regard that the Commission is deploying sophisticated technology in carrying out the EAD. The methodology for the census is designed to achieve full Geographic Information System, GIS, compliance. High resolution imagery will be used to ensure that no area is left undemacated or no place duplicated, the methodology been adopted will not allow for the creation of imaginary EAs and any attempt to include non-existent households and buildings will be detected through satellite imagery.”

Earlier this year, Bio-Metrica announced that it will be deploying its modular, multi-factor biometric census registration system in a pilot project for Nigeria’s 2018 population census.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  identity verification  |  Nigeria