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Tag: NIMC

  • Security mgt systems in line with global standards, says NIMC chief

    Security mgt systems in line with global standards, says NIMC chief

    • NIMC bags ISO/IEC 27001, today

    Efforts made so far by the Federal Government to create information security management systems in the country are in line with global standards, Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam, has said.

    He spoke yesterday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead the certification of the national biometric infrastructure of the agency today.

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, is scheduled to receive the accreditation on behalf of NIMC during a ceremony in Abuja. British Standard Institute (BSI), which is performing the audit around International Standards Organisation (ISO)/ International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 27001, has over 100 years of experience on global best practice.

    ISO and IEC are foremost global rules agency. While ISO has thousands of guidelines which touch on almost all aspects of human life, IEC is the conformity assessment body for all fields of electrotechnology.

    ISO/IEC27001, which BSI is issuing NIMC, is one amongst a family of standards which has to do with the security and protection of information.

    “We are talking about unique identification of Nigerians and legal residents which must be relied upon by all,” Mr. Onyemenam says. “This certification is based on the audit of what we have put in place to ensure secure management of personal information and privacy of individuals. So, it means we have kept faith with our promise to meet global best practice in the roll out of NIMS infrastructure. Our services and infrastructure can be relied upon by the world, simple.”

    The NIMC boss says that the certification which his agency is receiving on Wednesday, amongst other international rules and guidelines backing the operation of NIMC, will help to sanitize the image of the country around the world. He says in fact that the best way to go about improving the image of the country and ensure that the world takes Nigeria serious is through technology. This is because technological measures are concrete and verifiable.

    He said: “We have put in place an infrastructure that is technology-driven and based on a verifiable global best practice and this has been so acknowledged by an international standards institute. We are serious about the image of Nigeria and playing by global rules of engagement for such acceptance about issues around the ‘dignity of the Nigerian International status.”

    According to him, the new national e-ID will attract positive recognition and respect for Nigeria and Nigerians especially at international gateways and land borders, adding that the agency has put in place conditions for a global recognition for the National Identity Management Systems (NIMS).

  • NIMC FC beat Dallatu United FC 3-1

    Hosts NIMC FC of Abuja on Thursday beat Dallatu United FC of Gusau 3-1 in a Division One C week nine match in the 2013/2014 Nigeria Nation-Wide League (NNWL).

    The match, played at the Area 3 Sports Complex, saw the hosts scoring twice in the first half. They added another in stoppage time to reclaim the second spot on the NNWL table.

    Dallatu United were the better team in the match’s first 30 minutes. But, when the opening goal came, it was against the run of play following a period of sustained pressure from the hosts.

    Rilwan Isah made amends for an earlier miss by showing off a delicate touch in the area to put the hosts ahead in the 25th minute. Timothy Samuel finished off the half with another clinical strike in the 44th minute.

    The second half saw Anselem earn a penalty kick for the hosts, when Musa Abdullahi clearly clipped his legs in the area in the 54th minute. However, Yinusa Okintola, who stepped up to take the penalty kick, played it straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.

    The resultant counter-attack saw the visitors pulling a goal back through Audu Yisa in the 56th minute.

    The hosts were later handed another penalty kick, after the referee spotted an infrigement in the area during a goalmouth scramble in the 89th minute.

    NIMC FC’s captain, Peter Anselem, made no mistake from the spot as he fired the ball straight into the left corner of goal and sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

    Coach Mansur Abdullahi of NIMC FC told newsmen after the match that it was a hard-fought win, but a very important one.

    “The key was to score just before half time. In the second half, we controlled the game well,” he said.

    NIMC FC have now amassed 16 points from nine games and are only two points behind table-toppers Kaduna Bees who have 18 points.

  • ‘New ID number for global identity’

    ‘New ID number for global identity’

    The 11-digit National Identification Number (NIN) given to Nigerians and legal residents, after successful enrolment, reveals the identity of every Nigerian anywhere, it has been learnt.

    A statement by the Director, Corporate Communications of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Anthony Okwudiafor, said the new identification system is different from the previous ordinary photo card issuance.

    The statement said: “NIN is the individual’s identity and the numbers are what will be used for authentication and verification through a sub-system.

    “The unique smart card, which will be issued to all those who have registered and collected their NIN, is unique. This is because it is a chip-based card and 100 per cent poly carbonate with 18 security features of international standard. The card also has 13 applications, including a payment solution, a match-on-card and an e-PRI.

    “(The) NIN enrolment is a continuous exercise from Monday to Friday with additional pre-enrolment portal which allows individuals to pre-enrol through the portal (www.ninenrol.gov.ng) that is capable of serving over one million pre-registration a day.

    “On-line pre-enrolment allows applicants to input their demographic data and print out the pre-registration slip, which has a 2D Barcode and proceed to any nearest NIMC enrolment centre to capture their biometrics and electronic signature. This completes the process with the issuance or the National Identification Number (NIN) and a tracking ID number…”

    “The NIMS project is focused on identity management, which is real-time live processing of data from every location. (It is) in line with the international standards – International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the largest professional association for the advancement of technology, the IEEE, among others. It ensures best global practices, unlike the previous schemes where the personal information of individuals were collected, stored and then processed later.”

    Okwudiafor listed the benefits of the NIMS project, including providing a convenient and simplified process for enrolment into the National Identity Management System.

    He said the National Identification Number (NIN) would protect individuals from identity theft and fraud by providing a simple, reliable, sustainable and universally acceptable means of conforming individual’s identity at all.

    The system would make it difficult for criminals to use false or multiple or ghost identities, he said.

    The director added that the system would also enhance the work of law enforcement agencies.

     

  • Identity registration will minimize fraud – Sambo

    Identity registration will minimize fraud – Sambo

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo on Thursday said the ongoing registration of Nigerians by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will check fraudulent activities in the country.

    Sambo , who disclosed this after enrolling into the Centralised National Identity Database system at the State House, Abuja, said the registration, when completed, would assist financial institutions and other agencies in checking fraudulent activities.

    ‘‘This is very impressive and I want to seize this opportunity to say that this is one of the major achievements of Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda.

    ‘‘The exercise for every Nigerian to have an identity means the avenue for security, the avenue for economic development.

    ‘’Today, our banks cannot issue loans to Nigerians because they say Nigerians do not have address. You go to the bank, your name is Garba, after taking the loan you become Daniel and they cannot know where you are

    ‘‘I want to seize this opportunity to impress on the management of NIMC to ensure that they meet the target time for the completion of this work,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the vice president as saying during the registration.

    Sambo described the scheme as laudable and charged the leadership of the NIMC to complete the registration of all eligible Nigerians by the December 2014 deadline earlier issued to the commission.

    He gave the assurance that government would continue to assist NIMC for the successful execution of the project.

    He called on all Nigerians to cooperate with the management of NIMC for the smooth implementation of the National Identification Number (NIN) scheme.

     

     

     

  • INEC to synchronise voters’ card into national identity scheme in 2019

    INEC to synchronise voters’ card into national identity scheme in 2019

    The National Commissioner of INEC, Prof. Lai Olurode, said the commission would synchronise its permanent voter’s card programme into National identity scheme in 2019.

    Olurode said the synchronisation of the cards was being extended to 2019 because INEC was not sure if the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) exercise would contain the required bio-metric data required for elections.

    Olurode disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He explained that the card would contain voter’s bio-data; age, sex, address, finger prints, blood group and phone number of eligible voter, among others features.

    “Some of the electronic card features include micro testing security, hologram and fingerprints,”  he said.

    Olurode said that the card was designed to prevent multiple voting and strengthen INEC’s efforts to clean up the nation’s electoral process.

    However, the INEC Commissioner explained that the current requirements on NIMC data collection form for the national identity card consisted of just phone numbers, name, gender, address, state and fingerprint.

    According to him, because of these deficiencies  INEC cannot key into NIMC data collection and stop its ongoing printing of permanent voters’ card.

    “Even at that, the INEC is collaborating with NIMC in line with the pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan that the entire bio-metric data programme in Nigeria must be harmonised.

    “The idea of three or more organisations taking bio-metric data in a country is a security risk and a waste of both financial, time and human resources.

    “But once NIMC can build its capacity to do a good job, then others will key into it,’’ Olurode added.

    He said he was hopeful that in subsequent elections, INEC would not need to conduct fresh  or continuous voter registration, “once we are sure that NIMC is on the right platform”.

    NAN recalls that in 2012, the Federal Executive Council approved N2.6 billion for the printing of 40 million out of 75 million cards needed in the country for general elections.

  • Identity crisis

    Identity crisis

    • President Jonathan’s call that a national citizens’ data base be pooled by 31 December 2014 is good, but …

    President Goodluck Jonathan spoke the minds of many Nigerians when he ordered all government agencies needing citizens’ data should hook on to the centralised data bank, which the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is building. He also gave a target of December 31, 2014, for the NIMC to complete the current registration exercise.

    The president did well by putting a halt to what appears some malady on the data gathering front. The situation in which the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Population Commission (NPC), would embark on varied data gathering, some of them at the expense of the citizen, is undesirable and absolutely unacceptable.

    In one of those schemes, the FRSC even unilaterally cancelled binding legal agreements, by purportedly abrogating national drivers’ licences before their due date, for a new updated one, just like it did in the case of car registration plate numbers. In its own case, the Police also started – before it stopped – its own Biometric Central Motor Registration scheme. In both cases, citizens were burdened with undue expenses.

    Still, it is only fair to note that these multiple registrations, in search of data gathering, were caused by the absence of a national data base, in which biometrics of every citizen is captured. That absence was itself caused by the failure of previous attempts at national identity card projects, under Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as military head of state, under President Shehu Shagari and under Obasanjo as civilian president. On these three occasions, the schemes failed, with billions of naira going down the drain.

    It is with such previous failures in mind that everything must be done to make the current exercise a success. On that score, NIMC is expected to capture all eligible citizens latest December 31, 2014. Perhaps the NIMC would have preferred an open-ended deadline, particularly given the fact that citizen registration is an open-ended event, taking in newly born citizens while the dead ones exit. Still, a deadline of one year and two months would appear fair, other things being equal.

    That is why the commission must ensure it makes a success of this current exercise. As the president said, multiple registration for data is not only expensive, it is inefficient. If indeed resources are scarce, that would appear a double jeopardy. It is better, cheaper and more productive, therefore, to invest in one fool-proof scheme, and build a pool from which other data-thirsting agencies could drink from.

    But if the present exercise must succeed, there must be more publicity and enlightenment. Indeed, NIMC should crank up its publicity blitz as if the exercise is closing in but a few months, enlightening citizens on how to register, where to register and possibly how long registration takes. That way, the target is likely to be achieved.

    The benefits of a central biometric data base are many. To start with, it would generate social security numbers imperative for planning and other social security schemes. It also acts as control to census exercises, which in these climes, have also been too controversial, therefore making planning a nightmare. With adequate citizen registration, it would be more difficult to manipulate census figure; and the Nigerian economy would be better for it.

    Nigeria must get the national identity card scheme right this time. It is the least the country can do if it ever wants to get its planning right.

  • National ID commission gets December 2014 deadline

    National ID commission gets December 2014 deadline

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday directed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure it registers all Nigerians by December 31, 2014.

    He gave the directive while formally launching the enrolment exercise for the issuance of the National Identification Number (NIN) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the National Identification Number will go a long way to enhance the work of security agencies in the country, reduce the cost of managing the naira cash component in the country, reduce the amount of currency in circulation and boost the fight against corruption.

    Stressing that it will also be essential if Nigeria is to introduce social security or welfare payments, he said that the system is flexible and provides for expansion and upgrading in line with technological advances.

    The President noted that Nigeria cannot be an exception to the global trend towards Identity Management and Centralised National Identity Database, saying that there is already a growing quest for specific databases and identity verification by several government institutions and private sector organizations in the country.

    He said: “The growing identity verification needs, therefore calls for harmonization and integration of identity databases and the development of a universal service infrastructure. To achieve this goal, the National Identity Management Commission should ensure that by December 31, 2014 all persons eligible for registration as provided for in Section 16 of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act No. 23, of 2007 are enrolled into the National Identity Database.”

    “By this same date, all government agencies requiring identity verification and authentication services or involved in data capture activities must align their activities with a view to switching over to the NIMC infrastructure.”

    On the benefits of the registration, he said: “If the work of law enforcement officers is to be enhanced; if consumer credit is to be accessible; if we are to reduce the cost of managing the naira cash component currently estimated at N192 billion per annum; if we are to reduce the amount of currency in circulation currently put at N1.93 trillion; if we are to achieve a multiple pronged approach to the fight against corruption; and finally, if we are to introduce social security or welfare payments, then we must, first and foremost, establish and verify appropriately, the identities of individuals.”

     

  • NIMC partners ALGON on NIN enrolment in rural areas

    NIMC partners ALGON on NIN enrolment in rural areas

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has solicited the support of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to establish enrolment centres in the 774 local governments for effective grassroots National Identity Number (NIN) registration.

    NIMC Director-General Chris Onyemenam made the call during the first Local Government Areas (LGAs) Summit on the National Identity Management System (NIMS) yesterday in Abuja.

    He said NIMC will soon set up the centres and kick off local government NIN enrolment.

    According to Onyemenam, “NIMC is calling for collaboration and partnership of the ALGON because there is need to upgrade the nation’s database and records, if we don’t do this we can never have up to date national identity management system.”

    He added that if the country has “no way of telling the identity of an individual and affirming that identity, we will not be able to collect government revenues properly both at Federal, State and local government levels and we would not be able to wage a good war against crime and criminal activities especially those that are related with identity of an individual.”

    He said “the journey of carrying out massive local government NIN enrolment can only be a success with the effective and collaborative cooperation of Local Government Chairmen in partnership with NIMC.

    Chief Nwabueze, who is the leader of the delegation said, the summit has been grouped into three zones with Abuja to cover the Northeast, Northwest; Lagos to cover Southwest and while Asaba will cover Southsouth.

    The arrangement, he said, is to allow the summit cover the zones and eliminate challenges that might come up if chairmen gather in one hall for such a meeting.

    “It is good that NIMC took this bold step, knowing that using ALGON will record good success in NIN registration,” he said.

  • Certificate verification: 300 NIMC officials may face trial, says DG

    The Director General of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Chris Onyemenam in Abuja, yesterday said about 300 officials of the agency had suspicious certificates.

    He said they were not cleared during a verification exercise.

    Onyemenam, who broke the news during a courtesy call on the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, said the law will take its course on those with doubtful certificates.

    Onyemenam said about 600 officials, who submitted their certificates for verification to the Federal Ministry of Education, about 300 were not cleared.

    He expressed regrets that some of the certificates were not genuine despite the fact that the affected members are expected to handle a sensitive assignment like National Identity Card Management System.

    He said: “It was in the process of documenting them, because they were now to be employed as full time senior member of staff. Out of 600 people that submitted, about 280 to 300 were not cleared.

    “We decided to conduct the exercise because of the desire of the management to have quality staff and to ensure that whatever they do conform to the international best practice.

    “As you know in IT related matter, no success can be achieved in garbage in garbage out. So, it became clear to the management that, one of the things that we needed to do was to ensure that we have quality staff.

    “The level of success you can achieve, depend on the quality of your personnel. It was in the course of our trying to ensure we attain international standard that we embark on verification exercise.

    “We need what is internationally regarded as the minimum standard to enable us meet with infrastructure that we have deployed”, NIMC boss explained.

    Replying a question, the DG added: “If you have fake certificates, what is it? It is a criminal offence and the law will take its course”.

    The ICPC boss said identity theft is now a global crime, especially among the youths.

    He said: “Identity is so much critical today that five per cent of theft in US today is done through identity theft, which our young persons are specialised, We are worried about physical kidnapping, but through identity theft, you can be kidnapped and you are still sitting down in your place comfortably, that is electronic form of kidnapping.

    “If we are to stem misfortune of system cloning, you must have strong data base to make it possible to match pictures for proper identification”.

    He urged NIMC to ensure that the present identity card is done in such way that it has strong link with other socio-services like; driver’s licence, electoral processes, national health insurance scheme, the educational services among others.

     

  • NIMC faults SIM registration

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has faulted the ongoing subscriber identity module (SIM) registration.

    Its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Chris Onyemenam, said the exercise is marred by many irregularities, including the abandonment of its original script, adding that these would not allow it to produce a reliable data for the country.

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) got a National Assembly budgetary nod of about N6.2billion for the exercise while the operators, MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Etisalat and Visafone have also made huge financial comitment to the progarmme, which the regulator promised would be completed in the first quarter of this year.

    “Based on what we did and (most of the people who did it are still around), we worked on the SIM register project. It was designed by the NIMC. We followed the standard that we felt, if they adopt and implement, the data will meet our own standard and our own standard is the benchmark on the basis of international standard for such identity data base.

    “The moment we stopped being part of that project, rather than settle for 10 finger prints, they settled for something less and rather than the number of demographic data phase we recommended, they settled for something less. Obviously, it is no longer a perfect feat.

    “Secondly, the background; when you are doing the face shot capture, some of us have been to the High Commission for visa. You know they tell you the type of background and the size of the passport photograph. There is a reason for that,” he said.

    According to him, there were locations where all the kiosk attendant does is just to ask the person willing to register SIM to stand well regardless of what the background is and just do the face capture.

    He said the practice does not meet international requirement. “That is just an ordinary passport photograph. If you want to convert it into something that can be used to conduct face recognition, it is useless. They just asked me to stand and I did and they took my shot in their office. The place was not well- lit and I shook my head that this is not what we recommended. There were certain parameters for all these,” he said.

    Efforts to get the reaction of the NCC failed as callls to Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs were not picked.