NIMC’s new Nigeria ID4D project partner to increase financial inclusion

FIC Professionals Network Plc, an organization working to drive financial inclusion in Nigeria, says it has received the greenlight from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to provide critical services for the country’s identity for development initiative (Nigeria ID4D).

According to Punch, FIC’s Executive Director, Segun Shonubi, announced the NIMC decision in a letter late last month after it met all requirements prescribed by the ID authority.

The approval means that FIC will participate in the Nigeria ID4D Ecosystem Enrolment Service, and will lay emphasis on raising the financial inclusion bar.

The Nigeria ID4D is a government-run initiative with funding from the World Bank and other international development partners. It is aimed at providing legal and digital identity to all Nigerians to facilitate access to public and private sector services, and also to propel the country’s digital transformation ambitions.

Shonubi hailed the importance of the initiative saying it has the potential of “enhancing service delivery, improving governance, and unlocking opportunities for Nigerians in the digital economy.”

Given FIC’s experience in the domain of financial inclusion, the NIMC expects the agent network to play a crucial role in using secure digital identity as a driver of financial inclusion which is currently still low in Nigeria.

FIC has also been involved in the issuance of resident smart ID cards for the State of Lagos, notably through the launch of an enrollment app in 2023.

ITedge News reports that the approval of FIC as an NIMC partner comes on the heels of a partnership it recently established with the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to put in place an Agency Banking Certification (ABC) Program. This program is intended to offer certification for persons working on financial inclusion.

The NIMC says including FIC in the digital ID enrollment program “underscores our commitment to inclusive, private sector-driven solutions for achieving universal digital identity coverage.”

Nigeria’s digital ID program recently had an extension of funding by the World Bank, with a revised target to issue at least 180 million National Identification Numbers (NINs) by the end of 2026.

Already, the NIMC says more than 115 million NINs have been issued as of December last year, and it expects project partners such as FIC to play a critical role in helping meet the project goals.

At the close of 2024, the NIMC also told the public that it had cleared all arrears due some enrollment partners. In a statement, the ID authority said the payment was for ID enrolment services which the front-end partners had provided to the NIMC in the previous two years.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  financial inclusion  |  Identification for Development (ID4D)  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria  |  Nigeria ID4D