There’ve been mixed reactions in Nigeria after the federal government unveiled plans to introduce a new multi-purpose national digital ID card, with some describing it as a duplicative effort and a waste of resources.
Also, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Delta State governorship aspirant, has said the Federal Government’s initiative to introduce three National identity cards for citizens is nothing but a waste of resources of the people.
Just last in a statement, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), said the new ID card, whose launch is supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, will have payments and social service delivery functions, and will facilitate access to other services including travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps, transport, and energy subsidies, just to mention a few.
The agency added that among other features, the credential, to be powered by a national ID card scheme dubbed AfriGo, will have a machine-readable zone (MRZ) in line with ICAO’s standards for biometric passports, a QR code that will contain the holder’s national identification number (NIN), and the possibility for face and fingerprints biometric authentication as the primary medium for identity verification through the data on the card chip.
After the NIMC announcement, Ayodele Babalola, technical adviser for Media and Communications, NIMC, later made a declaration which appeared to be different from the substance of the ID authority’s April 5 statement.
In an interview with Punch, the official said three new cards will be introduced (apparently different from the announced multi-function card), and they’ll comprise a bank-enabled ID, a social protection card and another – the (ENBIC) which will be used within the West African community.
He didn’t not mention when these cards will be launched, saying the decision would be sequel to a clearance by the presidency.
The number of new cards to be introduced notwithstanding, the announcements come as Nigeria is pursing efforts to expand coverage of the NIN – another digital ID – which has so far been issued to nearly 105 million people.
The World Bank recently lauded Nigeria’s NIN issuance progress in a report.
Different states in the country, including Edo and Lagos also have biometric resident ID cards for different purposes.
Across the country’s social media space, there have been strong criticism of the NIMC’s announcement of yet other cards.
“We have NIN and voter’s card. What stops the federal government from integrating whatever technology they have from those? Putting Nigerians through another round of stress is unnecessary. This smells like a well packaged fraud as usual. We are not kids anymore,” Rita Sunshine, an X user commented under the NIMC’s announcement.
Another X user identified as AI Ken asked rhetorical questions: “APC season of national card Vs new card. Are all these for our benefits or for the benefit of contractors? What is the different between NIN, PVC, BVN and this upcoming card?”
Elsewhere, Onuesoke, PDP chieftain, described the plan NIMC initiative as a big joke that will be tantamount to the waste of the depleted national funds, taxpayers’ money and waste of time of the masses.
Onuesoke said that it was amazing that Nigerian leaders are always avoiding the main problems that need to be resolved in the country, but go after duplicated ones that may end up creating more problems for Nigerians.
He argued that it is better and probably more efficient to have one identity database that covers all Nigerians, rather than multiple sectoral identity databases that may be a source of confusion or even a loophole for fraud.
He maintained that the government could just, as well, have focused on getting Nigerians to obtain the NIN means of identity just as he described the exercise of obtaining other identities as a waste of funds, time, human resources and misplacement of priorities.
“This country is a huge joke. Always avoiding the main problems that needed to be solved but rather going after artificial issues.
“We already have the BVN, NIN, PVC, driver’s license and international passport. Why do we need three national identity cards? What is really wrong with our leaders?
“At every slightest opportunity, they want to cash out by duplicating projects and subjecting the masses to another round of torture by going to queue for this arrant nonsense,” he averred.