VerXid deploys Barnksforte biometrics for Nigeria airport ID rollout

Nigeria will soon set up a face biometrics technology system dubbed VPass across its airports to facilitate identity verification for passengers on domestic flights.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed a concession agreement recently with authorities of VerXid, the technology partner contracted to deliver the project, the federal ministry of information disclosed. It is a Public-Private Partnership initiative.

VerXid’s AI-powered biometric identity verification system is provided by Barnksforte Technologies, and it meets enrollment compliance requirements for both the National Identity Management Commission of Nigeria (NIMC), and the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), according to the company’s website.

Per the agreement, VerXid will introduce a facial recognition system that will streamline passenger verification, enhance security, improve convenience, and also solve a recurrent problem of unauthorized boarding.

Keyamo underscored the importance of the project, saying it is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation security and address other concerns related to breach of airport identification procedures.

“The initiative is designed to eliminate discrepancies in passenger data arising from inconsistent airline records, while also addressing unauthorized boarding practices. The system will ensure that all passengers on domestic flights are properly identified, thereby closing existing gaps that allow individuals to bypass Standard Identification Procedures,” Keyamo wrote in a Facebook post.

Strict measures, he said, are already in place for international travellers, and the latest move is expected to lead to greater transparency and accountability.

VerXid’s Managing Director, Adedayo Bankole, remarked that they’ll provide an integrated system that ensures accurate identity verification, using the National Identification Number (NIN) data and immigration records of travellers.

The signing of the agreement for VPass deployment follows the approval of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Attorney-General of the Federation as well as the greenlight of the Federal Executive Council.

Barnksforte says it is providing the technology infrastructure for the VPass project. The company has been involved in the past in digital transformation projects in Nigeria, including funding support for a digital civil registration system which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu launched in November 2023.

Article Topics

Africa  |  airport biometrics  |  Barnksforte Technologies  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  ICAO  |  Nigeria  |  passenger processing  |  public-private partnerships  |  VerXid