Temporarily suspending Front-End Partners from participating in National Identification Number enrollments, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is currently conducting a revalidation exercise for these third-party registration centers, as disclosed by the Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, during the commencement of a four-day training session for the first batch of newly revalidated Front End Partners in Abuja.
While assuring participants that the revalidation aims to enhance the enrolment process and address outstanding debts owed to Front-End Partners, the Director General emphasized that numerous infractions, a considerable number of which were attributed to Front-End Partners, have been reported. Front-end partners offer enrolment services nationwide, and the Director General clarified, “My decision to initiate the revalidation of all FEPs was not targeted at any individual or group. It was a measure to sanitize the system and processes, ensuring the integrity of data in the country’s identity database. It also serves as a crucial step in properly auditing the claims made by some of our FEPs.”
“Please be advised that the revalidation exercise is being implemented in phases; this is just the first phase and not the last. I take this opportunity to remind everyone that National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment is free of charge in Nigeria. My administration maintains a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, and anyone found engaging in corrupt practices or other infractions will not be spared.
The Director General further clarified that the revalidation exercise is a crucial step in ensuring compliance with the highest standards of data security among Front-End Partners (FEPs). She emphasized, “I inherited significant debts owed to FEPs spanning over two years. Some of the invoices and claims raised concerns, necessitating thorough auditing. The flaws in the process and system left me with no choice but to take deliberate actions to sanitize the enrolment process. As a result, I directed the temporary suspension of NIN enrolment activities at all FEP centres pending the outcome of the revalidation exercise.”
In October, NIMC had announced the revalidation of its third-party agent licenses, emphasizing its mandatory nature for all current partners to ensure compliance with the latest standards and protocols.
Addressing the issue of kidnapping in the country, NIMC revealed ongoing collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission and security agencies to utilize the NIN and SIM databases for tracking down kidnappers and victims of kidnapping.”
The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Coker-Odusote, conveyed this information during a stakeholder engagement with the Nigeria Identification for Development Project in Abuja. Speaking through her technical assistant, Ayobami Abiola, the DG highlighted NIMC’s close collaboration with security agencies to leverage the National Identification Number (NIN) for enhancing the country’s security.
She stated, “NIMC is actively collaborating with security agencies to utilize the NIN in a manner that enhances national security. Previous directives mandated the use of the NIN for SIM card registration, but some individuals have found ways to bypass these requirements, undermining the potential for leveraging this information for security purposes. Nevertheless, NIMC is diligently working to address these challenges, and a solution is expected soon.”
The DG also mentioned the President’s concern about the fragmented identity system in the country, leading to substantial financial losses. She stated, “The President has issued directives to address our fragmented identity system, urging us to integrate and unify our identity system. The objective is to eliminate current challenges in the enrolment process, establish a robust, seamless, and inclusive system where everyone is provided with an ID, leaving no one behind.”