Nigeria launches nationwide drive to boost digital ID coverage, improve inclusion

Nigeria’s National identity Management Commission (NIMC) is today February 16 launching a nationwide campaign to conduct enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) at the ward level. In Nigeria’s administrative configuration, wards are the grassroots units for governance, electoral organization, and resource distribution.

The effort, which targets all wards in the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the 36 states of the country and the federal capital territory, is intended to expand digital ID coverage and improve inclusion.

“The nationwide exercise is designed to ensure the comprehensive registration of every Nigerian citizen and legal resident, including children and adults, into the national identity database,” the NIMC’s Director for Communications and Public Relations, Dr Kayode Adegoke, said in a statement.

“The enrollment will be conducted free of charge, in furtherance of the federal government’s renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aimed at promoting inclusive governance, national development and access to identity services,” he added.

The official urged all Nigerians and legal residents who are yet to enroll, to take advantage of the opportunity and participate fully in the exercise, emphasizing that the initiative “represents a strategic step towards deepening identity inclusion, decentralizing services and bringing registration to the communities, thereby improving accessibility and reducing travel burden.”

In prelude to the nationwide campaign, the NIMC said it had begun engaging with multiple stakeholders at the national, state and local government levels, to create more awareness on the importance, benefits, and use of the NIN.

“State governments, heads of local governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, market associations as well as faith-based organisations are being consulted to ensure a smooth and seamless registration across all the wards nationwide,” Adegoke mentioned.

Nigeria is currently implementing a national digital ID program that has funding from the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency estimated at around $430 million.

The program aims to assist Nigeria put in place a digital ID system which will facilitate access to public and private sector services across the board, and support the country’s digital economy and digital transformation efforts.

Last year, the program was extended by two years after Nigeria failed to meet key objectives, with the revised target now requiring the country to issue 180 million NINs by December this year.

By the close of 2025, the NIMC said it had registered over around 127 million people for digital ID.

In December last year, the NIMC announced that it had received 350 biometric devices from Korea, through its international cooperation agency (KOICA), to boost NIN enrollment, especially in difficult-to-reach communities.

Article Topics

biometric enrollment  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  National Identity Number (NIN)  |  Nigeria