On Wednesday, September 13, the Nigerian federal government made a significant decision to transfer the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Ministry of Interior. This move aims to tackle the persistent issues linked to National Identity Numbers (NIN), a vital requirement for obtaining International Passports and other travel documents.
Previously, the NIMC was under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. During the prior administration, NIMC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), worked on linking NIN with Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) to combat kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism. Within three years, over 100 million Nigerians successfully linked their NIN with SIM cards.
Sources in Abuja confirmed that the process of transferring NIMC to the Ministry of Interior is being expedited in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to remove obstacles to obtaining NIN and passports.
An insider knowledgeable about NIMC’s operations expressed regret that the challenges associated with acquiring National Identity Numbers persisted due to bureaucratic hurdles and a focus on awarding contracts rather than technological innovations.
An official from the Ministry of Interior confirmed the relocation, stating, “Yes, we have been moved.” When questioned about delays in issuing NIN, especially for those with changes to their birthdates or name sequences, the official assured that these issues were being addressed.
NIMC is set to launch a mobile application over the weekend as part of multiple innovations to address these problems. The official stated, “We are introducing various innovations to tackle these issues. Nigerians will be able to request online changes to their birthdates or other personal information and receive real-time responses.”
Regarding concerns about fraudulent activities exploiting these problems, the official dismissed such insinuations, emphasizing that such individuals were not associated with NIMC.
In the meantime, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) revealed that additional personnel were being deployed to its frontline desks nationwide to meet the two-week deadline set by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The minister had instructed the service to clear the backlog of over 200,000 passport applications in the country. As of Tuesday, over 55,000 applications had been processed within five days of the ultimatum.
The NIS emphasized that personnel had been working diligently, including weekends, to clear the backlog. The Acting Comptroller General, Mrs. Wura-Ola Adepoju, has shown proactive leadership, ensuring that all facilities and equipment are operating efficiently.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Dr. Dotun Aridegbe, “We have been working tirelessly to meet the deadline. Even before that, the Acting CG has been extremely proactive. Our personnel are working every weekend at all passport offices nationwide, including Saturdays and Sundays.”
