Nigeria contracts Pakistan’s digital ID agency to upgrade NIN middleware

The digital identity authorities of Pakistan and Nigeria have signed a strategic partnership agreement to expand their collaboration.

Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has entered into a contract under the collaborative agreement to help modernize the middleware solution used by Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The contract is with NIMC’s Project Implementation Unit, and will enable a more advanced identity ecosystem, according to the announcement. The contract was signed following a thorough pre-assessment and set of recommendations, and is intended to improve the efficiency, security and interoperability of the back-end system Nigeria uses for its national ID, the partners say.

The upgraded back-end will support NIMC’s plans to scale enrollment and identification operations.

The agencies discussed project timelines and how to align key objectives at a meeting held at NIMC headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

NIMC has issued more than 104 million National Identification Numbers (NINs) to Nigerians so far, and hopes to reach 148 million this year.

NADRA also has deals in place to supply digital identity software to ID authorities in Kenya and Somalia.

More enrollments kits distributed

Additional biometric enrollment devices have been deployed to all states in Nigeria, following approval from NIMC Director General and CEO Abisoye Odusote-Coker, the agency has announced.

The devices are already in use, having been installed to supplement those already in the field. NIMC says the deployment has reduced how long applicants must spend on the process, and increased how many people are served each day.

Monitoring and evaluation teams from NIMC will visit NIN enrollment and updating centers across Nigeria, in part to help address allegations of widespread corruption.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  government purchasing  |  NADRA  |  national ID  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria  |  Pakistan