The Nigeria Digital Identity DPI Story | ENGINEER LANRE YUSUF - DIRECTOR,SOFTWARE & BIOMETRICS, NIMC
Summary
TLDREngineer 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.
Outlines
🇳🇬 Nigeria's Identity Management Evolution
Engineer Lry, YF, the director of software and biometrics at Nigeria's National Identity Management Commission, discusses the history and evolution of the country's identity management system. The first ID project in 2003 was outsourced to a French company, capturing 56 million Nigerians but resulted in proprietary data access issues. This led to the establishment of the National Identity Management Commission in 2007, which initiated a new project to enroll citizens, issue an 11-digit identification number, and a multi-purpose card. The project also aimed at harmonizing and integrating with other identity agencies like driver licenses, national population commission, and Nigerian immigration service. A key aspect was capturing biometrics, including fingerprints and facial recognition, with plans to include iris recognition. Lessons learned from the initial project led to the development of local enrollment software and digital verification systems, enhancing data accessibility and utility.
📈 Expanding Identity Verification in Nigeria
The script highlights the expansion of identity verification services in Nigeria, emphasizing the legal requirement for an National Identification Number (NIN) for various services such as obtaining or renewing passports, vehicle registration, and accessing government benefits. The banking system and mobile telephone companies are also integrated, requiring an NIN for account opening or SIM card registration. The script discusses the challenges of acceptance due to literacy levels and the lack of identification checks in the past. However, the collaboration with the banking system has significantly increased enrollment numbers, reaching over 100 million records. The government is working to raise awareness and make the NIN more accessible, even in rural areas, through partnerships with private companies and government programs that require an NIN for benefits.
🌐 Global Collaboration for Identity Management
The final paragraph outlines Nigeria's next steps in its identity management journey, including a grant from the World Bank aimed at capturing every Nigerian's identity within three years. The script acknowledges the ongoing nature of identity management, with new births and data modifications requiring constant updates. The National Identity Management Commission is committed to providing these services efficiently. The importance of cross-border relationships and standards is emphasized, with the script mentioning a visit to India to learn from their successful identity management practices. The goal is to adopt open-source programs for increased efficiency and interoperability, ensuring that the foundational identity system can drive economic growth in various sectors. The script concludes by encouraging proactive approaches and learning from successful models in other countries.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)
💡Biometrics
💡Enrollment
💡Multi-purpose Card
💡Harmonization and Integration
💡Digital Verification
💡API
💡Interoperability
💡Unbanked Citizens
💡Digital ID
💡Front-end Partners
💡Awareness and Acceptance
Highlights
Engineer Lry, YF is the director of software and biometrics at the National Identity Management Commission in Nigeria.
The history of ID in Nigeria has been long, with challenges in identifying citizens similar to other countries.
The first well-known ID project in Nigeria was in 2003, involving a French company called S, which captured data of 56 million Nigerians.
The data from the 2003 project was proprietary, limiting the government's access and use of the data.
The National Identity Management Commission was created in 2003 to address the issues of the previous ID project.
The new project aimed to enroll Nigerians, issue an 11-digit identification number, and a multi-purpose card.
Harmonization and integration with other identity agencies such as driver licenses and the Nigerian Immigration Service were part of the project.
Biometric data including fingerprints and facial recognition is captured, with plans to include iris recognition.
Lessons learned from the initial project led to the development of local enrollment software and an in-house application.
Digital verification is crucial, with real-time verification capabilities and API provisions for stakeholders.
The national identification number is now mandatory for obtaining or renewing passports and other government services.
Financial institutions and banks are major consumers of the verification service, integrating the national ID system.
Mobile telephone companies are legally required to have a national ID for issuing SIM cards.
Employers and healthcare insurance providers are among the private sector stakeholders using the national ID for verification.
Challenges include acceptance and literacy levels, with efforts to increase awareness through media and community leaders.
Enrollment numbers have increased from 7 million to over 100 million due to collaborations, particularly with the banking system.
The national ID system is becoming essential for accessing various services, both government and private.
Digital IDs are being introduced to facilitate easier access and verification through smartphones.
The World Bank is supporting Nigeria with a grant to capture every Nigerian within three years.
Continuous enrollment and data updates are necessary due to population growth and changes in personal information.
Interoperability and adherence to standards are crucial for cross-border relationships and economic impact.
Nigeria is learning from India's success in capturing a large portion of its population into the national ID database.
The introduction of open-source solutions aims to increase efficiency and sustainability of the national ID system.
Partnerships with financial sectors and other stakeholders are essential for real-time service delivery and national development.
Transcripts
[Music]
good afternoon my name is engineer lry
YF and I'm the director of software and
Biometrics at the national identity
management commission which is an ID
government ID uh solution provider in
[Music]
Nigeria the history of ID has taken a
very long time in Nigeria like most
countries have the challenge of
identifying their citizens so in Nigeria
we had the first pretty the known the
wellknown talked about ID project which
is like in 20 2003 okay and this was an
out of the box ID project which was
concession to his to a French company
okay called s and they were able to
capture about 56 million Nigerians at
that time and they issued an identity
token
okay
unfortunately after that program um the
data because it's a propriatary uh
solution the government at that time
could not use the the data don't have
access to the data so that led to um an
enactment of an act uh of uh creating
the national identity management
Commission in 2003 7 and with that act
in collaboration with the Department of
Civic registration at that time created
the m and we started the project AR
fresh okay and under the project that we
started
whereby um we uh conce the project was
conceived so that there will be an
enrollment solution and you capture
Nigerian issue an 11 digit
identification number
uh also issue a token which is the card
a
multi-purpose uh card and as well get
involved with harmonization and
integration with other identity agencies
where in this case driver license uh the
the national population commission that
is responsible for both and debt and
also the Nigerian immigration service
that is responsible for issuing passport
also in addition to capturing one of the
rule is that you must capture the 10
fingerprint
biometric okay and also capture the
picture which is pH there's the third
modality which is Iris we've not
included Iris but there's working plan
to do an upgrade to include Iris in the
as the third modality of uh biometric
[Music]
identification
yeah the lesson learned from The Fallout
from the initial identity project is
that uh the introduction of the look
content so uh in this project the
software the enrollment software was
designed and developed by local vendor
we have also as a commission developed
an
inhouse appli enrollment application
okay another layer that that happen in
this this case is that the introduction
of verification okay what the use of
having an identity if you cannot verify
so there's a a digital verification
whereby real time uh verification and
this verification also uh we make
Provisions for API whereby other
stakeholder in this case government
agencies and also the private
individuals to plug in um and that has
seen um a lot of
interest uh we've been able to plug in
the financial institutions the banks
consuming the
verification uh by rule now in Nigeria
you cannot have you cannot uh procure a
passport or renew an existing passwort
without having the national
identification number so the national
the the N is embedded and coded on the
passport okay we are working with the uh
uh uh uh vehicle registration Authority
whereby driver's license also you will
need to have an N to get your license
and also we have pencom which is uh the
pension commission where but also to get
those benefit most of these government
services you need to have an N
[Music]
yes for example one of the key private
uh shareholder that are consuming the
verification service are the Telos that
the mobile telephone companies okay uh
It Is by law now that for you to have a
SIM card you must have an N okay so uh
also we've seen um other use cases
whereby employers of Labor both private
and government are requesting for n okay
we're also moving towards probably the
airlines before they sell you ticket or
before you board a plane or get some
services like hospitals healthare insur
Health Care insurance you know you need
an N so it's a it's becoming very
becoming viral and important to some of
the services both government and
private uh the citizens and legal
resident
[Music]
conserns yeah absolutely there are
challenge es and we've been able to
um uh we are managing the challenges
okay there are still challenges but
they've reduced
significantly uh one of the uh major
challenges is uh acceptance okay because
of the level of literacy most people
still don't understand the idea that why
would they need uh an identity uh
Nigeria is one of the few countries in
the world whereby you can travel from
the north to South and nobody ask you
for any means of
identification okay few years ago you
can board a plane or enter public
transport without identification but
that is changing now uh that tells you
the level of awareness um we also have
because in in that case up to
2015 we had only about 7 million
enrollments but we able to ramp up
enrollment because of collaboration one
of the major collaborators that really
Advance our cost are the the banking
system which is the Nigerian inter
banking system whereby the uh we we
harmonized about 50 million records of
the BBN adopted those those that made
the criteria we able to bring them on
board and generated an N for them so
right now we have about
103 or 104 million records in the
database and it is projected estimated
population of Nigeria is between 200 and
230 so at this point we can say that we
are about at
15%
um uh capture about 50% of the popul and
we we are making uh much advancement and
the awareness becoming more now because
of some of the key services that you
cannot uh consume those services without
having an N so pretty much we do believe
that n has come to stay and also to make
things easier in terms of verification
we've introduced also dig digital uh ID
whereby we've move from issuing a piece
of paper to having a digital copy on
your phone on your smartphon and this is
just to make life easier for the citizen
in uh some of the benefits of what the
uh National identification system uh
provides uh we Al we also aware there
are a lot of uh citizen that are
unbanked because some of them live in
areas where there are poor communication
in the rural area we've uh tried to make
things easier for them we partner with
um we give license to private companies
so we call them the front end Partners
whereby they can go to the interand to
placees how to get area to capture
citizens uh we've seen a lot of uh
interest in that Community lead leaders
are been um uh public awareness is being
um
uh made known on TV on radios on Jingles
to make sure that every Community is
aware of the importance of the uh
National identification number and also
uh recently there will be government
programs like ptiv that uh the poorest
of the poor will enjoy and one of the
criteria is that for you to uh qualify
for this program or for you to get this
benefit you must have your n in so we do
believe that this will also increase uh
adoption and we bring more people who
naturally wouldn't have come for the
service we come to get registered for
this uh n
[Music]
yes our next step is right now the World
Bank uh
has already also pick interest they want
there's a program that they they
supporting Nigeria with a grant whereby
It is believed that within 3 years uh we
supposed to be able to uh capture every
Nigerian so usually funding has been the
challenge but with this um um
relationship with the bank I think we
will get some funds that will assist in
wrapping up or concluding uh the
enrollment but identity is a it's
ongoing process we cannot capture
everybody because uh the projection in
Nigeria is that you new bonds we have
about 7 million 7 to8 new bonds every
year so you have 7 to 8 million people
to capture yearly and also modifications
people
change names people change
addresses okay so these are also is that
you need to uh update your data which
we increase I mean by the day and and
the national identity management
commission will be on their tool to make
sure they are ready and able to provide
these services so again
crossborder um relationship okay without
standards uh it will be difficult for
you to move from one country to other so
one of the main reason why we are here
in India in Bangalore especially is to
work with uh like to adopt the MIP uh
program whereby it is developed based on
open source so that we can uh increase
efficiency and be able to bring services
to uh different stakeholders due to
interoperability so that the
foundational identity can drive the
economy both in financial and all other
sectors of the
[Music]
economy well they need to be proactive I
know that it's a big project okay the
same way Nigeria despite the fact that
we've covered about 50% of the
population but we're here in India to
see how to learn from what India has
done to have 1.3 billion citizens and
about 90% capture into the database is
something to cherish so we're here to
learn and
to um adopt best practices so any other
country that also would like to uh start
identity program you look at where it's
been done before there is Pakistan there
is India there now Nigeria and there are
few countries also in Africa that have
adopted best practices and um came up
with identity a program that works for
their Community but most importantly
based on well-known and acceptable
standards so that there can be
interoperability yes so thank you again
for the opportunity and thanks to uh our
new director General
engineer who is now the new champion of
identity uh we we're here to look at
best ways of doing things okay uh
looking at our best practices and also
incorporating open source to make sure
that what we have is sustainable and
also to partner with other stakeholders
especially the financial sector to make
sure that all the services that they
provide for the citizens are done in
real time and to the betterment of the
of the country thank you so
[Music]
much
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