The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said that proper identification is needed for government to implement its transformative policies targeted at improving livelihood.
The Minister who was speaking at the 6th National Day of Identity, 2024, argued that it would be difficult for any government to protect or provide for citizens it does not know.
“If you do not get the identity of the people right, you can’t protect who you don’t know. That is the truth. You can’t provide for who you don’t know and for you to do that, you must get the identity right.
“You must get the EOI right. What is the eoi? That’s the Evidence of Identity. Because identity is the foundation. Identity is the is the credo, it is the genesis. It is the beginning upon which development will be built.
“If we do not pay the necessary attention to identity management, what are the problems we’re going to be getting, number 1, we’ll have the issue of reputational damage which is what we getting at the moment.
“I tell you this, of every every 10 Nigerians that attempt criminality, there are 100 million fantastic Nigerians. That is the truth.
“But if we are unable to manage their identity, you will find it difficult for you to be able to segregate the good from the bad.
“You’ll find it difficult for you to be able to provide basic policing, basic amenities of life for the people.
“If you know the identity of people, the next level will be to know the needs of the people, to know the wants of the people for you to be able to meet up with the aspirational aspiration of the people.
“If you are not able to do that then what do you get? You get a country that will forever be a country of potentials without attaining potential.
“You cannot manage an identity when you can’t protect the data. Data protection act is fundamental in any democracy in the world. It is the right of the people.
“It is right of government to have the identity of people, to harness the identity of people, to have the ability to identify people, but it is the right of people for their identity to be protected.
“So in this, it brings you to a situation where you have to, you have to strike a balance between security and identity management.”
On her part, the Director General of the NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote while noting that National Identification Number enrolment has reached which 110 million, she said the journey with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) reflects its similarity to physical infrastructure, requiring it to be open, interoperable and guided by set of governance.
She said the role of DPI has become indispensable to Nigeria’s economic development, as it offers a framework that connects citizens to essential services such as social welfare, healthcare, education, and financial inclusion.
Coker-Odusote further noted that the Commission is on the right path and key strides have been made through collaboration and partnerships with government agencies and private sector players – linking of NINs and phone numbers with the telecommunication companies, NIN and Bank Verification Number (BVN) harmonisation with financial institutions to facilitate digital payments, digital money, digital identity and digital processes, amongst others.
“Furthermore, the student loan initiative showcases how DPI can eliminate financial barriers to education. By collaborating with 257 institutions, 332,715 students have been registered for loans, and over 18,000 students have already received payments through the initiative,” she added.
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