The Nigeria Digital Identity DPI Story | ENGINEER LANRE YUSUF - DIRECTOR,SOFTWARE & BIOMETRICS, NIMC

Summary

Engineer Lry YF, Director of Software and Biometrics at Nigeria's National Identity Management Commission, discusses the evolution of the country's ID system. The initial project in 2003 faced challenges with proprietary data access, leading to the establishment of the Commission and a new enrollment system. The new system issues an 11-digit identification number and a multi-purpose card, integrates with other agencies, and captures biometrics. Lessons learned have improved the system, with local software development and real-time digital verification. The system is crucial for accessing government and private services, and efforts are underway to increase adoption and efficiency, including the introduction of a digital ID and partnerships with the banking sector.

Takeaways

• 📝 The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Nigeria is responsible for government ID solutions and biometrics.
• 🔍 The history of ID in Nigeria began with a project in 2003, which was outsourced to a French company and captured 56 million Nigerians' data.
• 🚫 Post the initial project, the government faced issues with proprietary solutions and data access, leading to the creation of NIMC in 2007.
• 🆔 NIMC initiated a new project to enroll citizens, issue an 11-digit identification number, and a multi-purpose card, integrating with other identity agencies.
• 👁️ Biometric data, including fingerprints and facial recognition, is captured for each citizen, with plans to include iris recognition in the future.
• 🛠️ Lessons from the initial project led to the development of local enrollment software and an in-house application for identity verification.
• 🔗 Digital verification is crucial, with APIs provided for government agencies and private entities to integrate real-time identity checks.
• 📈 The importance of the National Identification Number (NIN) is growing, as it is now required for services like passport procurement and banking.
• 📲 The introduction of digital IDs has transitioned the identification process from paper to smartphones, enhancing convenience for citizens.
• 🌐 NIMC is working on cross-border relationships and adopting open standards like MIP for interoperability and efficiency in identity management.
• 📊 Despite challenges in acceptance and literacy, NIMC has made significant progress, with over 100 million records in the database and ongoing efforts to increase enrollment.
• 🤝 Collaboration with the banking system and other stakeholders has been key to advancing the identity program and increasing public awareness.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video script?

The speaker is Engineer Lry, YF, the Director of Software and Biometrics at the National Identity Management Commission in Nigeria.

What is the role of the National Identity Management Commission in Nigeria?

The National Identity Management Commission is a government ID solution provider responsible for managing the identity of Nigerian citizens, including the issuance of an 11-digit identification number and a multi-purpose card.

What was the first ID project in Nigeria and what was its outcome?

The first ID project in Nigeria was initiated in 2003 and was a concession to a French company called S. They were able to capture about 56 million Nigerians but the government could not access the data due to proprietary solutions.

Why was the National Identity Management Commission established?

The Commission was established in 2007 following an act to address the inability of the government to access citizen data from the previous ID project and to start a new project for citizen identification and enrollment.

What are the biometric modalities captured in the Nigerian ID system?

The Nigerian ID system captures 10 fingerprints and a facial picture as biometric modalities. There are plans to include Iris as the third modality in the future.

How does the Nigerian ID system ensure the verification of identity?

The system includes a digital verification process with real-time verification capabilities and provisions for APIs, allowing government agencies and private individuals to integrate the verification process into their services.

What is the significance of the National Identification Number (NIN) in Nigeria?

The NIN is essential for accessing various government and private services in Nigeria, such as procuring or renewing a passport, obtaining a driver's license, and accessing healthcare insurance.

What challenges does the Nigerian ID system face in terms of public acceptance?

One of the major challenges is acceptance due to the level of literacy and understanding of the importance of identity among the citizens. There is also a need to increase awareness about the necessity of the NIN for various services.

How has the Nigerian ID system addressed the issue of low enrollment numbers?

The system has ramped up enrollment through collaboration with the banking system, harmonizing about 50 million records and generating NINs for them, increasing the total number of records in the database to over 100 million.

What is the role of private companies in the Nigerian ID system?

Private companies, referred to as front-end partners, are licensed to go to remote and rural areas to capture citizen data, making the ID system more accessible to unbanked and hard-to-reach populations.

What is the future plan for the Nigerian ID system in terms of technology and international collaboration?

The system plans to adopt open-source technology to increase efficiency and interoperability, and is working with the World Bank to secure funding to capture every Nigerian within three years. They are also looking to learn from other countries' best practices, such as India's Aadhaar system.