Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has called for data harmonization as Nigeria marks its 5th National Identity Day.
The Minister made this call at the National Identity Day celebration in Abuja on Saturday.
Tunji-Ojo noted that Day is set outside to assess the country’s progress on National Identity Management.
He says data management is a prerequisite to implementing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
“Think about it: you can’t access bank services and get ATM cards without proving your Identity. You can’t even engage with others on online social media platforms without first verifying your Identity. So, Identity is key in our everyday lives, which is why we commemorate this Day today.
“I have stated that the harmonization and management of national Identity is a major means of mitigating and controlling crime as well as for national development. With a database of over 100 million National Identification Numbers in the National Identity Database, NIDB, NIMC provided essential access to attaining this goal along with other major stakeholders.
“It is fitting then that the theme for today is Identity as a Catalyst for Nigeria’s development. We are all stakeholders in ensuring the successful implementation of positive policies regarding national Identity as it affects government social safety net and financial inclusion programmes”, he stated.
In her remarks, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Acting Director General/CEO of NIMC, said reliable Identity is not only a privilege but a fundamental right for all Nigerians.
She stated that the Commission is committed to surpassing its over 100 million NIN enrolment database.
“We firmly believe that access to a reliable identity is not a privilege but a fundamental right. It serves as the cornerstone upon which we can build a more inclusive, secure, and prosperous society.
“Nigeria’s journey towards a robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is emblematic of its commitment to harnessing the power of digital technology for the betterment of its citizens, especially in providing social services”.
Newssphere recalls that in 2019, Nigeria became the first country to adopt 16th September as National Identity Day globally.