FG To Harmonize Nig’s Data Through NIMC

Edited By Nkiru Njemanze

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has reiterated the ministry’s commitment to invest in the harmonization of the country’s data through the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC.

The Minister, who vowed that the era of multiple ID registrations will soon be over, spoke while receiving the MTN management team led by the Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola in Abuja.

He said that NIMC has been mandated to harmonize the country’s database as President Ahmed Bola Tinubu seeks to enhance the country’s Identity and security architecture.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for the country to have a technology-driven data hub under the ministry.

“We must have an interior hub. A massive data center where we will have all our identity information documented,” he said.

“Data harmonization is key. If we succeed at the Ministry of Interior, the success will start with NIMC. The integrity of our travel document must be restored through the harmonization of our data.

He explained that data harmonization will drastically reduce the stress for the people and overhead costs on the part of the government.

According to the Minister, information regarding the issuance of driving licenses and Passports, Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), National Identity Numbers (NIN), Subscribers Identity Modules (SIM), and others should be harmonized into digital chips for the purpose of planning and execution of government programs for accelerated development.

He argued that NIMC, as an agency under the ministry, has the potential of re-writing the narrative where the country only has a single point of data entry.

“If NIMC performs well, NIS will perform better, and the police, NSCDC, and other agencies will perform admirably above par.”

The Minister, however, pinpointed the role of the private sector players, such as MTN, in achieving the vision towards the harmonization of data.