According to Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the interior minister, national identity can be unified to reduce crime.
This was said by the Minister on Saturday during the 5th National Identity Day Celebration in Abuja, which was hosted by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
He claimed that the NIMC has collaborated with other sister organisations to improve public access to services such as passport renewal and acquisition, as well as other areas such as effective border security technology, managing insecurity effectively across the nation, safeguarding vital national assets, reforming and reintegrating rehabilitated offenders into society, and speeding up emergency and fire response times.
With a database of more than 100 million National Identification Numbers in the National Identity Database (NIDB), according to Tunji-Ojo, NIMC provides crucial access to achieving this aim alongside other significant players.
I’ve said that one of the most effective ways to reduce and control crime as well as for national development is to harmonise and regulate national identity. The National Identity Database, or NIDB, contains a database of more than 100 million National Identification Numbers, and together with other significant partners, NIMC offered crucial access to this goal.
The Minister said, “We are all stakeholders in ensuring the successful implementation of positive national identity policies as it affects government social safety net and financial inclusion projects.
In her remarks, the acting director general and chief executive officer of the NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, stated that World Identity Day is especially significant because it gives participants a chance to consider the crucial role that identity plays in society.
According to her, identity is more than just a card or a number; it stands for a person’s existence, rights, and standing in society.
According to Coker-Odusote, identity opens doors to vital services, social advantages, and opportunities for both personal and professional advancement.
“At the National Identity Management Commission, our aim is to give every citizen and lawful resident a digital primary identity and establish it as a standard of identity for all people.
“As we observe World Identity Day today, we must also be aware of the obstacles that still need to be overcome. Regardless of circumstances or history, ensuring universal access to a trusted identity necessitates innovation, persistent commitment, and international cooperation.
“In order to protect the integrity and security of identity systems, we must be always on the lookout for new technologies and growing threats. We must give privacy and data protection a high priority while embracing digital revolution. In our efforts to offer identity solutions to everyone, we must, above all, be inclusive, leaving no one behind.
As we look ahead, I reiterate our unwavering dedication to the cause of identity management. Work tirelessly to strengthen the ties of trust between citizens and their governments. Let’s use identity to its full potential to promote social inclusion, advance justice, and uphold human rights, she urged.
The head of the NIMC went on to say that Nigeria’s progress towards a strong Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is symbolic of the country’s dedication to using digital technology for the benefit of its population, particularly in the delivery of social services.
So, as we continue to develop our DPI, we must bear in mind that it has the ability to alter lives, improve public services, and drive inclusive growth in a large country like ours in a way that would make us stand out as a key participant in Africa’s digital revolution.
To realise these potentials, she continued, “it will be essential to address current challenges and ensure equitable access to digital resources.”
