E-Business
NIMC, PenCOM to Hasten Database Harmonisation, Integration for National Development
The National Pension Commission, has pledged to hasten the process of harmonising and integrating the PenCOM database with the National Identity database to ensure complete synergy with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, director general, PENCOM, was speaking when Barrister Chris ‘E Onyemenam director general/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), paid her a courtesy visit at the PENCOM Headquarters, recently, to further review collaborations.
According to Mrs. Anohu-Amazu, “PENCOM is a sister organisation to NIMC, and where we are now is a clear indication that we are working towards the same goal and must work together, to ensure that our organisational roles and mandates are achieved seamlessly”.
She noted that PENCOM is poised to serve not only the pensioners of today, but the contributors to the various pension funds who are they pensioners of tomorrow.
“There has always been a great need for proper identification and verification in the pension industry to ensure little or no case of identity theft. It’s a good thing that NIMC and PENCOM are poised to make a positive impact and contribute to the country’s economy and development,” she said.
Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu further noted, “The NIMC Idea in PENCOM’s estimation is a fabulous idea. Long before the inception of the highly structured Pension industry that exist today, there has been a fundamental need for a foundation Identity Database which all the Agencies and private organisations can fall back on at any given time, and we are glad that NIMC has put such structure on ground.”
She explained that PENCOM is mandated by law to run its own Funtional database, but will also ensure that the PENCOM database remains in harmony and in sync with the foundation database of NIMC. “PENCOM has regularly engaged and will continue to engage NIMC to ensure that we are in complete synergy with NIMC.”
“While managing PENCOM’s functional database, we strive to continually take cues from NIMC’s expertise in identity management and we are indeed excited about the future as we continue to partner,” she said.
The Director General, NIMC, in his response, noted that NIMC’s core mandate is identity management.
“The major reasons for identity theft and fraud related activities in the country is the lack of record keeping. Over the decades, Nigeria didn’t have an identity database, which made identity theft and fraud very commonplace among Nigerians,” NIMC DG said.
He stated that a lot of people are known to have multiple identities that they use for varied reasons. “This is costing the Pension industry, the bank industry and the likes, hundreds of millions of naira annually, thus the need for a central database to check the number of times people change their names and identities.
The NIMC DG explained that with the National Identity Database now in place, every individual who enrolls into the database is allowed to lie to the system just once; because once the details are captured, it is stored against the individual’s biometrics and headshot so that in the next 20 years or more, the same details can be referred to with the help of the National Identification Number (NIN).
“Cases of ghost workers, falsification of age and names, fraud, identity theft, etc., are some of the problems faced in our industry that will be curtailed and eliminated with a centralized identity database, replete with biometric information,” he added.
Nigerian government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced a strategic collaboration to strengthen cybersecurity and clean up the nation’s cyberspace.
Recognizing that cybercrime knows no borders, Nigeria also reaffirmed its commitment to fostering stronger global partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
This announcement was made during a press conference before the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja from July 9th to 11th, 2025.
Sa’ad Abubakar, national cybersecurity coordinator from the Office of National Security Advisor, said fighting cybercrime must take the whole of society and the whole of the government approach.
According to him, “Apart from the deterrent approach whereby government agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest individuals, take them to court and prosecute them, the youth can be nurtured into better citizens who can showcase their capacity in better ways and be useful to the country.”
Similarly, Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, also stressed the need for collaborative efforts in fighting cybercrimes.
According to him “Then, in addition to that, we also want to build a stronger global collaboration with the global cyber security ecosystem, because when you look at cybercrime in general, it doesn’t respect the borders.
“Someone can commit a crime from Ghana using a Nigerian ID in the US. So you can look at him physically in a different jurisdiction, pretending to be in another jurisdiction, committing the crime in another jurisdiction.
“So without that kind of synergy and working together, it will be difficult to address these challenges. The third one is challenge. The third one is getting an alternative to cybercrime for our kids in Nigeria. We have this as a major challenge.”
Inuwa further highlighted the upcoming conference’s importance, noting that it would tackle key issues through workshops, discussions on emerging threats, cross-border cybersecurity collaboration strategies, and training programmes.
He also announced that the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 would feature the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, recognising top contributions in the field.
The DG extended an invitation to global partners to collaborate with Nigeria in building a safer digital future.
The press conference was attended by notable figures, including Ahmad Sa’ad Abubakar, National Coordinator of, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC); Hanniel Jafar, Representative of the President, of Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN); Ankit Shukla, Managing Director, QNA Marketing Management LLC and members of the press and other stakeholders.
XIAN Telecom has acquired an 8% stake in pan-African e-commerce company Jumia Technologies, citing the platform’s fintech and logistics strengths as key drivers of its backing.
This marks the first major telecom investment in Jumia since MTN Group’s exit in 2020.
AXIAN, a fast-growing telecom and digital services provider with operations across Africa, disclosed the purchase in a Schedule 13D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
While the financial terms were not disclosed, AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber, described the move as a strategic alignment with Jumia’s growth trajectory and digital ecosystem.
“Jumia’s achievements in digital retail and fintech, particularly through JumiaPay and its logistics network, make it a very attractive investment for us. We believe in Jumia’s potential to promote financial and economic inclusion, which aligns with our core values,” said Jaber.
Once dubbed the “Amazon of Africa,” Jumia became the first African-founded tech company to list on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019.
But years of underperformance, leadership changes, and competitive pressures dented investor confidence.
In October 2020, South Africa’s MTN Group offloaded its 18.9% stake for $138 million, well below the $698 million value it once held post-IPO.
Since then, Jumia has undergone a significant transformation. Under CEO Francis Dufay, appointed in 2022, the company exited low-performing markets like South Africa and Tunisia, cut costs, and doubled down on core markets – Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco.
The firm is now focused on high-growth verticals, including everyday essentials and digital financial services.
Jumia’s regional CEO for East Africa, Vinod Goel, recently revealed plans to scale up international brand offerings and open its logistics network to third-party businesses.
Jaber underscored that AXIAN Telecom’s investment signals renewed confidence in Jumia’s long-term potential.
The telecom firm’s CEO said the company views Jumia as a key player in advancing Africa’s digital economy, aligning with AXIAN’s mission through its fintech and digital infrastructure brands such as Yas and Mixx by Yas.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general, National Identity management commission (NIMC) has said that the commission is set to register 95 percent of Nigerians into the National Identity Database before December 2025.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote,, DG, NIMC
She made this statement at a press briefing to highlight the commissions goal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on digital governance and inclusive development.
The mass enrollment drive will be powered by a combination of improved infrastructure, expanded registration centres, and robust public sensitization campaigns.
As of May 2025, NIMC reports over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled, and about 100 million more would be captured by December.
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