The Senate on Tuesday passed for a second reading, a bill to strengthen the regulatory duties of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and further enhance Nigeria’s identity system.
The bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin, seeks to broaden the eligibility criteria for registration to ensure inclusivity and universal coverage.
“This allows all persons resident in Nigeria to obtain a National Identification Number (NIN) and utilise it as a recognised form of identification”, Jibrin informed the Senate in his lead debate.
The long title of the bill reads, “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2007, and to Provide for the Establishment of a National Identity Database and the National Identity Management Commission Charged with the Responsibilities for Maintenance of the National Database, the Registration of Individuals, and the Issuance of Identity Credentials; and for Related Matters, 2024.
According to Jibrin, the bill aims to streamline the sharing of personal data by “incorporating robust data protection measures to not only safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ data but also to foster trust among citizens in the landing of their information.”
It is also to enhance the administrative enforcement powers of NIMC by ensuring timely and accurate compliance with ID registration requirements.
“This will lead to a more streamlined registration process, thereby reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing the reliability of the Nigeria ID System”, he added.
The bill is to remove criminalisation for non-use of NIN by replacing criminal penalties with administrative enforcement measures to encourage compliance with NIN usage requirements without imposing undue legal consequences on individuals.
On NIMC’s regulatory functions, the bill seeks to strengthen the agency’s capacity to carry out effective oversight and regulation of the Nigeria ID System. This ensures adherence to established standards and guidelines, fostering public trust in the integrity and reliability of the system.
Furthermore, the new bill, when passed into law, will harmonise all the existing identity systems across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in order to “promote interoperability and coherence across different sectors.”
Generally, the bill will achieve several objectives to foster inclusion, universal coverage, accessibility and unlock significant financial and security benefits for the nation, according to its provisions.
Senators passed it for second reading in a majority voice vote.
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