For the multitude of Nigerians yet to register and obtain their National Identification Number (NIN) this is certainly some good news.
The Federal government this Wednesday announced the granting of approval to telco’s to commence data capturing of customers for the National Identity Numbers.
This it said is in a bid to reduce the crowd at its offices, the NIMC says.
The Director-General, NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, also said some other private and public organisations had also been licensed by the commission to provide NINs in order to address the crowds at commission’s offices.
This is coming on the heels of the constituting of a committee by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami to look into and address the concerns of NIMC employees, Punch reports
Responding to an enquiry as regards measures taken by NIMC with respect to complains by citizens and the crowds at the commission’s offices, Aziz said mobile network operators had been empowered to also give the identity numbers.
“We have licensed private and public sector organisations including telcos (telecommunications companies) so as to create more centres,” he stated in a WhatsApp message to our correspondent.
On December 15, 2020, the Federal Government declared that after December 30, 2020, all SIMs that were not registered with valid NINs on the network of telecommunications companies would be blocked.
It later extended the December 30, 2020 deadline following widespread opposition against the earlier announcement and gave three weeks’ extension for subscribers with NIN from December 30, 2020 to January 19, 2021.
Putting the Cart Before the Horse
For many Nigerians, it is simply a wonder why this development is just coming at this time. Why wasn’t the expansion of the registration centres thought of before now or even before the commencement of the project.
For many, this once again shows the lack of proper planning of the government for such a huge project as the NIN capture even in the face of government’s continued clamour for adequate social distancing with the aim of curbing the spread of Coronavirus.
NIN Registration Makes the Nigerian Populace Further Susceptible To Covid-19
A tour around major centres in Lagos and Oyo state by the Exclusive Africa team shows flagrant abuse of Covid-19 protocols with hundreds of individuals clamoring for space in a bit to be able to get their registration done even as the fear of blocking of lines rises with each passing day bringing the closing date nearer.
