…As Commission targets children for enrolment

The Lamido of Adamawa, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa, has commended the management of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for its successes in the registration of Nigerians in the National Identity Number (NIN) scheme.

The monarch, who gave the commendation while receiving a delegation of the Commission at the Lamido’s Palace, Yola, recently, pledged his support to NIMC towards the implementation of its mandate.

According to a statement jointly signed by NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, and Nigeria Digital ID4D Communications Manager, Dr. Walter Duru, the Lamido, represented by the Galadima Adamawa, Alhaji Mustafa Aminu, urged the delegation to take steps towards ensuring that NIN enrolment in rural areas was seamless.

“It is our collective desire that the NIN enrolment process is seamless. Lamido, His Royal Highness has asked me to extend his cooperation and support so that together, we move the country forward,” the Galadima Adamawa said.

Earlier in his remarks, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz Abubakar, commended the monarch for his role in keeping Adamawa state safe.

He Informed the Lamido that the Commission had taken deliberate steps to ensure the registration of children and women for the National Identity Number.

“Our focus now is on the issuance of the unique National Identity Number. Developed countries of the world do not issue Identity cards, but numbers. For instance, we have the Social Security Number in the United States and the National Insurance Number in the United Kingdom. It is the number that matters to us currently,” Abubakar said.

He added: “We have enrolled over one hundred million Nigerians and issued them with the NIN. We are in Yola to re-strategize to achieve more.

“Statistics show that we have enrolled about 90 percent of adults and only 10 percent of children. Now, we are focusing on the children, going to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria to enroll those in rural and hard-to-reach areas, women, children, and the vulnerable.

“When the government knows who and where those living in Nigeria are, the government will be able to make adequate provisions for them.”

The NIMC Chief Executive used the occasion to invite the monarch to the 2023 edition of the annual World Identity Day, scheduled to hold on the 16^th of September, 2023.

On the NIMC DG’s delegation was the Project Coordinator, Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project, Musa Odole Solomon, Directors, and other top management staff of the NIMC and Nigeria Digital ID4D Project.

Those on the Lamido’s team were Alhaji Mustafa Aminu – Galadima Adamawa, who represented the Lamido of Adamawa; Justice Nathan Musa – Wakilin Alkalai Adamawa (Retired Chief Judge); Alhaji Ahamdu Bobboi – Chief Imam, Modibbo Adama Central Mosque; Alhaji Kabiru Bakari – Tariya Adamawa, Secretary, Adamawa Emirate Council and Prof. Abubakar Abba Tahir, Kakaki Adamawa.

The visit to Lamido’s Palace was one of the highlights of the NIMC/Nigeria Digital ID4D Management Workshop, held in Jimeta – Yola, Adamawa State, recently.

The event was supported by the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project.

In another development, Project Coordinator, Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Musa Odole Solomon, has said the NIMC/Nigeria Digital ID4D Management Workshop was an invaluable opportunity to engage in conversations that would provide solutions to the challenges facing the Commission.

Highlights of the event were paper presentations, a review of existing implementation plans, interactive sessions, visitations, agreement on the next steps, among others.

Update news