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Tag: NIMC

  • NIMC pledges to address national identification system challenges

    NIMC pledges to address national identification system challenges

    The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote has pledged to address challenges hindering the agency from delivering on its mandate of providing a robust and universally recognized national identification system.

    She said this would be done despite challenges ranging from infrastructural constraints to logistical challenges in national identity number (NIN) enrollment facing the agency.

    She made the commitment in a statement by her technical adviser, media, and communications, Ayodele Babalola after a meeting with the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population.

    The meeting, chaired by the committee’s deputy chairman and former governor of Ogun state, Senator Gbenga Daniel, provided a platform for the NIMC DG to present an overview of issues confronting the agency, ranging from infrastructural constraints to logistical challenges in national identity number (NIN) enrollment.

    Read Also: NIMC seeks payment of diaspora partner debts

    She highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery, improving operational efficiency, and expanding the reach of NIN enrollment services across the country.

    Coker-Odusote also reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve its objectives.

    The director-general assured the committee of NIMC’s determination to implement the recommendations arising from the discussions.

    Daniel said there was a need for teamwork and national interest in NIMC operation while pledging the Senate’s support for finding sustainable solutions to the commission’s challenges.

    The statement added: “The Director General’s participation in the Senate Committee meeting reflected NIMC’s commitment to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement in its efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s identity management infrastructure.”

  • NIMC seeks payment of diaspora partner debts

    NIMC seeks payment of diaspora partner debts

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) at the weekend urged its diaspora Front End Partners (FEPs) to pay the debts owed it just as it has started paying the debts it owed its local FEPs.

    Speaking on sidelines of the management retreat organised by the Commission at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, NIMC Director-General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the Commission has written to the debtor FEPs to pay up, warning that they risked being disengaged from working with the NIMC.

    She said: “For the FEPs in the diaspora that owe us money, I appeal to them to pay us debts that are outstanding. It is very important. Some of these FEPs have local FEPs in Nigeria.You cannot come with one mouth and say that we owe you money, while in the diaspora, you are owing us money and you have not remitted your funds. We are appealing to them. Due process has to be followed and the necessary action will be taken. We have written to them, we have communicated to them severally and if we do not get the desired response and your commitment to paying us, then we will definitely ensure that we disqualify you and disengage your services. We will do that according to all the agreement that have been put in place.”

    On the rationale for the retreat, she said the engagement was with the FEPs and the theme for the forum spoke to strategy and innovation plans that NIMC is putting in place to ensure the success of NIMC as a commission.

    “This session connects to one of the first agenda point, which speaks to increase in enrolment nationwide and the FEPs are very crucial and they play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our enrolment plan nationwide.’’

    “We are here today to deliberate with FEPs to see how they can go to the nooks and crannies , to ensure that people that are disenfranchise are able to have a NIN, so they can be entitled to the various government services that are available and other benefits that should be in place. That is one of the things we have started working with the FEPs on.

    “We have heard and listened to the public outcry on some cases of extortion, through the offices of the FEPs and that is one of the reasons why, last year, we had suspended them, to ensure that we go through the whole process again with them, make sure that whatever loopholes, which is basically the means to which they are basically extorting people, that we were able to close those loopholes and that is why, we have now gone through all that process successfully, to ensure that extortion is no longer possible and ensure that we take them through the LAF (License Assurance Framework), which we have gone through today, just to make sure that they all have a clear understanding of what that framework entails. We have also communicated to them in writing about LAF and the new process and to ensure that their system comply with this framework process in place, to eliminate any issue like fraud or extortion across board. We want to ensure that the citizens are happy with our services; we want to ensure that our services to the citizens are 100 per cent seamless and problem free,” she explained.

    According to her, one of the reasons the FEPs were assembled was to discuss about payment. Shedding more light on this, she said: “We have started to review the process of payment for them and one of the things that we have factored in, was for us to check in the back end to validate and verify that the total number of NINs, they claimed that they have generated is what we are actually going to pay them for, which is the normal process. A lot of them expect us not to carry out due diligence, but we have ensured that we must carry out our due diligence, as a responsible Federal Government agency, so it has to be done.

    Read Also: NIMC deploys more gadgets to states for easier NIN enrolment

    “Regarding payment, we have cleared some, and we have started to disburse those payment. For those that have been cleared, we have started to onboard them, using the LAF, to ensure that they can now come back and the citizens can regard and their trust in them when it comes to enrolment.

    “We are also trying to look at how we can support the FEPs to be able to achieve our own objectives, which is increasing our enrolment drive and establishing a fact that all citizens must have a NIN. We will do all we can to support them, but we also want them to understand that they need to be able to comply with the Federal Government processes, laws and ensure that the people’s data they are collecting is done in a seamless manner and that their data is very secure because we have a robust infrastructure in the back end and we are upgrading to the latest version at the moment. 

    “Last year, I did tell the FEPs, that we will ensure that before the end of the first quarter, we will pay them, if there is any hitches, in terms of a little bit of slight delay in payment, we will definitely inform the public, just before it happens.

    “The FEPs that have high infraction, we will not be bringing them back to NIMC, it shows that they don’t have the ethics and values and this is another reason why the LAF was put in place, to ensure that the FEPs comply with the federal government values, to ensure that all citizens in Nigeria have a free NIN. One of the things we have done and the processes that we have put in place is to ensure that citizens can go to any of the FEPs and put their trust in them, and know that they will not be extorted,” the Director-General said.

  • NIN-SIM: Angry subscribers, others besiege NIMC office

    NIN-SIM: Angry subscribers, others besiege NIMC office

    • Commission’s officials accused of extortion

    Telecommunication subscribers as well as students applying for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations yesterday besieged the Alausa, Ikeja enrolment centre of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

    They were at the commission’s office in their thousands to enroll for the National Identity Number (NIN), a prerequisite for registration for the examinations and other important documentations, such as the international passport.

    The huge crowd gave some unpatriotic elements the opportunity to extort innocent and desperate citizens applying for the NIN.

    One of the frustrated parents, who gave her name simply as Mrs. Okeke, said she was at the office the previous day to enrol her daughter into the National Data Base of the NIMC and get her NIN so she could register for WAEC.

    The distraught mother said she was overwhelmed by the huge crowd that besieged the place.

    “I came here yesterday with my daughter but could not do anything. I had to come here early enough today (yesterday) but could not achieve anything.

    “There is massive corruption, which has become inevitable on account of the huge crowd that gathered here. Unscrupulous elements are smiling to the banks extorting between N10,000 and N20,000 from desperate parents.

    “NIMC may have inadvertently precipitated this because it shut down all the accredited centres for NIN and limited it to only Alausa. Now, see the crowd. Imagine the registration form on which Not for Sale is boldly inscribed being sold. You have to pay for the form.

    “There’s a woman by Polaris Bank in that area that sells the form. So, these are some of the challenges. The Federal Government should please come to our rescue,” she said.

    In a telephone conversation while reacting to the development, NIMC’s spokesman Kayode Adegoke said the commission has zero tolerance for corruption.

    He said anyone caught collecting cash in exchange for NIN registration would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

    Read Also: Adeleke issues 24-hour ultimatum to warring communities to submit arms

    The NIMC spokesman said the crowd noticed at the commission’s Lagos office was because NIMC had temporarily suspended Front-End Partners (FEP) from engaging in the NIN enrolments.

    According to him, the commission is currently carrying out a revalidation of the third-party registration centres.

    Adegoke said the revalidation was aimed at improving the enrolment process and addressing outstanding debts owed to the FEPs and correcting the infractions reported significantly attributed to them.

    He assured Nigerians that more data capturing machines would be supplied to the Lagos office next Monday to reduce the waiting time and ease the pressure on both the staff and people willing to get NIN.

    The NIMC spokesman added that the use of forms would be settled by next week.

    Adegoke urged Nigerians to stop the fire brigade approach to issues, saying the NIN registration had been ongoing for some time.

    He wondered why parents had to wait till the 11th hour to do the right thing.

  • NIMC deploys more gadgets to states for NIN enrolment

    NIMC deploys more gadgets to states for NIN enrolment

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has deployed more gadgets to states across the country to facilitate more enrolments for the National Identity Numbers (NIN).

    The Director-General of NIMC, Abisoye Odusote-Coker, approved the distribution of additional enrolment systems to all the states as more applicants besieged state offices nationwide and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    Odusote-Coker said the intervention was necessary to ease NIN enrolment challenges and increase operational capacity.

    The Nation gathered that more applicants have been going through harrowing experiences to obtain the NIN following deadlines issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the linkage of NIN with Subscribers Identity Modules (SIM) cards.

    The Commission had warned that Subscribers who failed to link their NIN with SIM would have their lines disconnected by March 2024.

    Read Also: NIMC Act necessary for fourth industrial revolution, says DG

    The development has put pressure on NIMC and its workers on the registration of applicants in the national identity database.

    A statement signed by NIMC Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, noted that the provision of additional enrolment devices underscored the commitment of the DG/CEO of the Agency to streamline operations and enhance overall effectiveness.

    Adegoke said: “The systems (gadgets) have since been installed and in use across all the states and have not only resulted in the reduction of time spent by applicants but has also increased the number of applicants attended to daily.

    “Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote has also sent out monitoring and evaluation teams across various centres nationwide to ensure a smooth running of enrolment and modification exercises.

    “The team will also ensure strict compliance with her zero-tolerance stance against all forms of extortion and unethical practices.

    “Engr Coker-Odusote has emphasized that her administration will not condone extortion of applicants and has since directed that any staff found wanting will be dealt with in line with the provisions of the constitution and extant Public Service Rules.

    “She requests that any applicant extorted should report such incident to the following official channels: phone line 08155015388; 07002255646; email – ieu@nimc.gov.ng.”

  • NIMC Act necessary for fourth industrial revolution, says DG

    NIMC Act necessary for fourth industrial revolution, says DG

    The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has said that the proposed amendment to the NIMC Act of 2007, is necessary for the realization of enormous benefits of the fourth industrial revolution.

    Odusote said President Bola Tinubu is committed to pushing the frontiers of our digital economy through a robust and inclusive foundational identity system that would in no small measure reposition the digital economy of the country and enable Nigerians to reap the enormous benefits of the fourth industrial revolution.

    The NIMC boss made the remarks at a one-day round table workshop on the proposed amendment of the NIMC Act 2007.

    According to Mrs. Odusote NIMC is mandated to create and manage a centralized national identity database that enables the provision of secure, verifiable identity and enables authentic verification of the identity of registrable individuals anywhere in the country.

    She said NIMC armed with such a mandate would facilitate service delivery from the government and the private sector.

    Read Also: NiDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Diaspora

    Odusote said: “The not so often emphasized relevance of the national identity database, which is the core of the NIMC Act, is its significance to national security and how interwoven that is with all aspects of our collective existence as a country.

    “It is therefore imperative that the process of carrying out amendments to such an important legislation as the NIMC Act involves robust engagements of all critical stakeholders in the country, in our quest to reposition the NIMC for the future.”

    Odusote in a statement signed by her technical adviser on media, Ayodele Babalola was quoted to have said that the proposed amendment is among a series of innovative and sustainable legal reforms being undertaken by the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project, NDID4D.

    She said that the reforms include amendments to the Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Acts, the Electronic Transaction Act, and the NPC Act.

     “These are indications of the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing the ‘the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030) commissioned by the African Union, which the President Chairs.”

    She enjoined stakeholders to join hands with the NIMC for the success of programmes outlined by the administration.

    “At NIMC, we do not only want to go fast, but we also want to go far in ensuring Nigeria’s national identity database is repositioned through sustainable reforms that will drive a wholistic, sustainable, and people-centered socio-economic development. This can only happen with everyone being enrolled and issued a verifiable National Identification Number (NIN) and no one is left behind,” she said.

  • Ibadan residents decry enrollment hiccups at NIMC

    Ibadan residents decry enrollment hiccups at NIMC

    Some residents of Ibadan metropolis, on Tuesday, decried what they called their harrowing experience in the processing of enrolling with National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

    Consequently, they have appealed to the Federal Government to review the act establishing commission for more effective operations.

    The residents, who are seeking registration with the commission, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, said that the challenges being faced in the registration process was enormous.

    They called for more funding for the commission, stressing that most of its equipment needed to be upgraded to meet the current digital realities.

    Mrs Jumoke Oloruntoba, a civil servant, lamented the difficulties she had been passing through to do enrolment with NIMC, owing to the hiccups experienced on the commission’s portal.

    “I can tell you I have been on this for almost two weeks now, as I keep coming without getting anything done. It is always ‘no network’ anytime I come here (NIMC office).

    “I think the Federal Government should review the law establishing the commission in order to remove all the hiccups usually experienced during enrollment.

    Also, Mr Israel Amarere, a teacher, lamented the stress he went through to get his enrollment done, saying that the commission needed to streamline its enrollment process.

    “We know that there are some centres accredited by NIMC to do the enrollment but most times, they complain of bad network or no network at all.

    “The NIN enrollment software must be upgraded, given the importance of obtaining NIN in Nigeria now,” Amarere said.

    A student, Ayokunmi Ilesanmi, told NAN that she was at NIMC headquarters in Ibadan to correct the some errors noticed in the arrangement of her name when she first did her registration.

    “I hope to get it done soon because we are told that NIN is required to register SSS III students for the West African School Certificate (WASC) examinations,” she said.

    Ilesanmi appealed to NIMC to take the enrollment exercise to various secondary schools to save the students the harrowing experience of getting registered at the commission’s offices.

    “Sometime we miss classes just to get registered. But, if taking the enrollment to schools is considered, students’ traffic here will reduce, while the enrollment and issuance of registration slips will be easy and seamless,” she stated.

    Read Also: NiDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Diaspora

    When NAN contacted the NIMC office in Ibadan, an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said most of the commission’s equipment needed to be upgraded to enhance better service delivery to the citizenry.

    The official also appealed to the federal government to pay more attention to NIMC for it to be able to carry out its mandate effectively and efficiently, as it was now mandatory to link NIN with all information about any individual.

    “If the federal government can fund NIMC more to produce e-ID cards, even the poorest of the poor can have financial inclusion without necessarily having bank accounts.

    “The conditional cash transfer can also be done through the e-ID card if government is really interested in helping the poor,” the official said.

    (NAN)

  • NiDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Diaspora

    NiDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Diaspora

    The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and the Director General/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, have assured Nigerians in the Diaspora that they will get their National Identity Number (NIN) in good time and without stress.

    The NiDCOM and NIMC bosses spoke at a parley where they fine-tuned the strategy for easy delivery of NIN to Nigerians in the Diaspora.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by NiDCOM’s spokesman Gabriel Odu said NIMC would set up a Diaspora Focal Point Desk to resolve such issues within 24 hours.

    The statement reads: “Mrs. Coker-Odusote noted that the self-service application, which will be launched in February this year, will be done in a contactless and seamless fashion.

    Read Also: Tinubu explains reasons for cabinet size

    “The NIMC DG further stated that since her assumption of office as the current head of the commission, one of her numerous lines of action is to form a stronger alliance with NiDCOM to provide quality service delivery and a hassle-free system for Nigerians abroad.

    “In addition, the NIMC CEO informed that a Diaspora Focal Point Desk will be setup in NIMC Office to resolve issues within 24 hours.

    “She applauded Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa for her forward-thinking strategy, having recognised the pivotal role of the Diaspora Commission and plans to work extensively with NiDCOM.

    “The chairman of NiDCOM, while receiving the NIMC delegation, thanked them for innovating a brilliant idea.

    “According to Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa, this system will easily allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to link their NIN with their international passports.

    “The NiDCOM boss congratulated Mrs. Coker-Odusote on her latest appointment, assuring that the commission was ever ready to assist NIMC in whatever capacity needed.”

  • NIDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Nigerians in Diaspora

    NIDCOM, NIMC plan easy NIN collection for Nigerians in Diaspora

    Nigerians in the Diaspora have been assured of getting their National Identity Number (NIN) in a timely and stress-free manner.

     Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and the DG/CEO, of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote met to strategise on easy delivery of NIN to Diaspora.

    This was made known in a statement signed by Gabriel Odu, media, publicity and Protocol unit, NiDCOM.

    The statement also revealed that NIMC will set up a Diaspora Focal Point Desk to resolve issues within 24 hours.

    The statement reads in part: “Mrs. Coker-Odusote noted that the self-service application, which will be launched in February this year, will be done in a contactless and seamless fashion.

    “The NIMC DG further stated that since her assumption as the current head of the Commission, one of her numerous lines of action is to form a stronger alliance with NiDCOM to provide quality service delivery and hassle-free system for Nigerians abroad.

    Read Also: NIMC trains enrollment agents, warns against sharp practices

    “In addition, the NIMC CEO informed that a Diaspora Focal Point Desk will be setup in the NIMC Office to resolve issues within 24 hours.

    “She applauded Dabiri-Erewa for her forward-thinking strategy, having recognised the pivotal role of the Diaspora Commission and plans to work extensively with NiDCOM.

    “The Chairman of NiDCOM while receiving the NIMC delegation thanked them for innovating a brilliant idea.

    “According to Dabiri-Erewa, this system will easily allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to link their NIN with their international passports.

    “The NiDCOM Boss congratulated Mrs. Coker-Odusote on her latest appointment while giving the assurance that NiDCOM is ever ready to assist NIMC in whatever capacity needed.”

  • NIMC trains enrollment agents, warns against sharp practices

    NIMC trains enrollment agents, warns against sharp practices

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has charged the agency’s Front End (Enrollment) Partners (FEPs) to be good ambassadors of the commission.

    The commission warned that it would not spare any of them found engaged in unwholesome practices.

    Director-General, NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote said this in Abuja at the just-concluded 4-day training for the first batch of newly revalidated Front End Partners.

    The DG assured participants that the revalidation was a management decision to sanitise the enrolment process, while also auditing invoices inherited by her administration on the outstanding debts owed the FEPs.

    A statement by Technical Adviser on Media & Communications to Coker – Odusote, Ayodele Babalola said: “On assumption of office, we observed countless infractions and unwholesome practices in the NIN enrolment and modification services. Most of the reports of infractions, upon investigation, were done by some of our Front-End Partners.

    “I am not exonerating NIMC staff completely but as you may be aware, on different occasions, I led sting operations to some of our offices, where some staff were caught red-handed perpetrating unwholesome conduct.

    “And don’t forget that I inherited huge debts owed FEPs for over two years. Some of the invoices and claims were questionable, requiring proper auditing.

    Read Also: Toyin Abraham takes action against movie leaks

    “The rot in the process and system left me with no option but to take deliberate steps towards sanitising the enrolment process. 

    “And to this end, I directed that NIN enrolment activities at all FEP centres be suspended temporarily, pending the outcome of a revalidation exercise.

    “My decision to direct the revalidation of all FEPs was not targeted at anyone or group. It was a step towards sanitizing the system and processes while ensuring the integrity of data in the country’s identity database. It was also one of the steps towards proper auditing of the claims made by some of our FEPs. The revalidation exercise was part of the steps towards ensuring compliance with the highest standards of data security among the FEPs.

    “Please be advised that the revalidation exercise is being implemented in phases. This is just the first and not the last.

    “Let me use this medium to remind you all that NIN enrolment is free of charge in Nigeria. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption. We shall therefore not spare anyone found perpetrating corrupt practices or any other form of infractions.”

    While thanking President Bola Tinubu for his support, the DG reiterated her earlier promise to ensure that FEPs with genuine claims are paid whatever they are owed very soon.

    Commenting on the development, representatives of the newly revalidated Front-End Partners, Haruna Abdu of MURNA Foundation, Osah Uche Prince of GOMFID Multiservices and Stellamaris Oseruo of JOREAL Nigeria Limited, took turns to commend the new NIMC management for taking steps towards sanitizing the system.

    While describing the revalidation process as transparent, they urged the commission to strengthen its monitoring processes to ensure that no loopholes are left for exploitation in the enrollment exercise.

  • NIMC trains enrollment agents, warns against sharp practices 

    NIMC trains enrollment agents, warns against sharp practices 

    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has charged the agency’s Front End (Enrollment) Partners (FEPs) to be good ambassadors of the commission.

    The commission warned that it would not spare any of them found engaged in unwholesome practices.

    The Director-General, NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said this in Abuja at the just-concluded 4-day training for the first batch of newly revalidated Front End Partners.

    The DG assured participants that the revalidation was a management decision to sanitise the enrolment process, while also auditing invoices inherited by her administration on the outstanding debts owed the FEPs.

    A statement by Technical Adviser on Media & Communications to Coker – Odusote, Ayodele Babalola said: “On assumption of office, we observed countless infractions and unwholesome practices in the NIN enrolment and modification services. Most of the reports of infraction, upon investigation, were done by some of our Front-End Partners.

    “I am not exonerating NIMC staff completely but as you may be aware, on different occasions, I led sting operations to some of our offices, where some staff were caught red handed perpetrating unwholesome conducts.

    “And don’t forget that I inherited huge debts owed FEPs for over two years. Some of the invoices and claims were questionable, requiring proper auditing.

    “The rot in the process and system left me with no option than to take deliberate steps towards sanitising the enrolment process. 

    “And to this end, I directed that NIN enrolment activities at all FEP centres be suspended temporarily, pending the outcome of a revalidation exercise.

    Read Also: We’re collaborating with NCC, security agencies to tackle kidnapping, says NIMC

    “My decision to direct the revalidation of all FEPs was not targeted at any one or group. It was a step towards sanitizing the system and processes, while ensuring the integrity of data in the country’s identity database. It was also one of the steps towards proper auditing of the claims made by some of our FEPs. The revalidation exercise was part of the steps towards ensuring compliance with the highest standards of data security among the FEPs.

    “Please be advised that the revalidation exercise is being implemented in phases. This is just the first and not the last.

    “Let me use this medium to remind you all that NIN enrolment is free of charge in Nigeria. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption. We shall therefore not spare anyone found perpetrating corrupt practices or any other form of infractions.”

    While thanking President Bola Tinubu for his support, the DG reiterated her earlier promise to ensure that FEPs with genuine claims are paid whatever they are owed very soon.

    Commenting on the development, representatives of the newly revalidated Front-End Partners, Haruna Abdu of MURNA Foundation, Osah Uche Prince of GOMFID Mutiservices and Stellamaris Oseruo of JOREAL Nigeria Limited, took turns to commend the new NIMC management for taking steps towards sanitizing the system.

    While describing the revalidation process as transparent, they urged the commission to strengthen its monitoring processes to ensure that no loopholes are left for exploitation in the enrollment exercise.