The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has recently announced its plans to launch three new national ID cards for 104 million Nigerians by June.
This announcement has caused both curiosity and concern among the public as the new identity cards are set to make the existing system even more complicated.
The NIMC plans to introduce three new national identity cards. This includes a bank-enabled National ID card, a social intervention card, and an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card.
Concerns are being raised by Nigerians regarding the seeming redundancy of a new card system. The country already has several identification systems in place, such as the National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), Voter’s Card, and International Passport.
Many people have registered for these systems through a lengthy and sometimes frustrating process. It appears that the new card system is merely replicating efforts instead of building on existing data.
Further concerns are regarding data privacy and security. Nigeria already faces challenges with the Data Protection Act, which aims to safeguard personal information. Creating a new database raises questions about data protection compliance and the potential for information breaches. The Data Protection Act mandates responsible handling of personal information. However, the proliferation of databases has increased the risk of breaches and privacy leaks. With each new database, the potential targets for cybercriminals multiply, and citizens’ trust erodes as the government manages more and more sensitive information.
Financial considerations are another major concern. The cost of implementing these cards remains undisclosed, raising concerns about transparency and responsible use of public funds. In 2019, the NIN project received $433 million in funding from the World Bank, the European Union, and the Agence Française de Développement with no transparency on how the project was executed.
Furthermore, Nigeria already has a National Identification system. Shouldn’t efforts be directed towards optimizing and expanding the NIN system instead of creating parallel structures?
Supporters of the new cards highlight benefits like financial inclusion, improved social service delivery, and regional collaboration. They claim it will eliminate the need for multiple ID cards, improve service delivery, and offer financial inclusion through the proposed payment functionality. The government maintains the new card addresses the limitations of the NIN system and provides a more comprehensive solution. NIMC also clarified that the new National ID Card is a single multipurpose card, eliminating the need for multiple cards.
However, these goals could potentially be achieved through improved utilization of existing infrastructure and digital solutions. Fragmented services across multiple cards could further complicate matters for citizens.
Since 2020, Nigerians have faced challenges linking their NIN to their SIM cards, causing widespread frustration. The threat of disconnection as issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) looms over at least 42 million phone lines. Despite this, only 104 million citizens, representing less than 50 per cent of the population, have successfully linked their NIN.
Similarly, over 70 million bank account holders may have their accounts blocked due to inactivated BVNs, yet NIMC continues to issue more cards for enrolment.
Ultimately, the question remains: Are these new cards a step towards a more efficient system, or a wasteful duplication of efforts that jeopardizes data security and frustrate Nigerians?
The current ID card schemes appear outdated when compared with best practices. Notably, the United Kingdom discontinued its national ID card programme in 2011 and now relies solely on passports for identification.
Nigeria could consider a similar transition towards a more streamlined system. The government should prioritise reforming the existing system instead of exacerbating the situation. This could involve consolidating existing databases to issue a single, multifunctional ID card, enhancing efficiency and accessibility for all citizens.