The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced plans to allow Nigerians in the diaspora to seamlessly enrol for their National Identification Number (NIN) through a user-friendly self-service application.
According to a statement signed by the Technical Adviser to the NIMC DG on Media and Communications, Ayodele Bablola, the app will go live in February this year.
The statement further disclosed that the NIMC DG, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, announced this plan during a strategic meeting at the office of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Chairman and CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during a courtesy visit on Monday.
Sharing insights into the upcoming self-service app, the NIMC DG said the application would provide a contactless and seamless experience for Nigerians in the diaspora seeking to obtain their NINs.
The statement
The NIMC statement read in part:
- “Engr. Coker-Odusote emphasised that the initiative aligns with her commitment to enhancing service delivery and creating a hassle-free system for Nigerians abroad.
- “As part of the process, a dedicated Diaspora Focal Point Desk will be established at the NIMC Office to ensure swift resolution of issues within 24 hours. This customer-centric approach aims to provide efficient support to Nigerians abroad in line with the agency’s commitment to quality service delivery.”
On her part, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa was said to have expressed gratitude to the NIMC delegation for the innovative solution while acknowledging the forward-thinking strategy adopted by Engr. Coker-Odusote.
The NiDCOM Chairman highlighted the significance of the new system, emphasising its capability to easily link NIN with international passports for Nigerians residing outside the country.
According to her, the strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in leveraging technology to enhance the accessibility of critical identity services for Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Populating the NIN database
The planned app for Diaspora enrollment may help the country populate the NIN database, which has been growing slowly over the years.
Nairametrics reported that as of December 31, 2023, the total number of Nigerians with NIN stood at 104.16 million, according to the NIMC database.
This figure is considered low when compared with the country’s current population of over 200 million.
Besides, NIMC is expected to have captured 148 million Nigerians by June this year under the World Bank-supervised Digital Identity for Development (DID4D) project.
The country is also expected to have issued the NIN to at least 65 million female Nigerians by June 1, 2024, as well as 50 million NINs to children under 16 years of age.