Nigeria to link standardized physical addresses to digital IDs under new framework

Nigeria’s federal government is planning to standardize people’s physical addresses and link them to their digital identities through a new regulatory framework approved by the National Addressing Council (NAC). The government hopes for improved planning, security, financial inclusion and emergency responses.

The plan is for a digital addressing system to be established and connected to existing government databases, including the digital identity database operated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for secure linkage of verified addresses, The Whistler reports.

Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima says the public systems must communicate with each other to be useful, and that the new addressing system should connect with other pieces of the country’s digital public infrastructure (DPI).

The framework assigns key responsibilities to the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, NIMC, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST). NITDA, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and private-sector businesses all have roles under the framework as well.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is responsible for guiding technical implementation, system integration, ensuring interoperability and setting standards. NIMC is responsible for identity verification and authentication and the CAC is to support business address verification.

The previous framework did not cover business address verification, and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo suggested the change could significantly increase investor confidence.

Former Nigerian postmaster-general and NIPOST CEO Bisi Adegbuyi urged the country to adopt a digital addressing system back in 2023, arguing it would significantly improve social welfare delivery.

NIMC Director General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said that past attempts to standardize physical addresses had been hampered by a lack of coordination among government agencies, according to The Whistler.

In the absence of standardized physical addresses, Lagos-based Youverify built an online trust and identity verification businesses in part by offering address verification.

Article Topics

address verification  |  Africa  |  National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  |  Nigeria