The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said without proper identity management, there will not be adequate security and prosperity for the citizens in the country.
Ojo stated this on Monday in Abuja at the 6th National Day of Identity organised by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
This year’s event was with the theme “Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Enabling Access to Services”.
According to him, though it is the right of the government to harness the identity of the people, it is also the right of the citizens to have their data protected.
Speaking earlier, the NIMC’s Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said that the number of Nigerians with National Identification Numbers (NIN) has increased to 110 million. This is a 2.39 per cent increase from the 107.34 million recorded as of the end of May 2024.
She said that this accomplishment results from the strategic plan implemented by the current NIMC management, highlighting that the role of DPI has become indispensable to Nigeria’s economic development.
She explained that the Student Loan Initiative, which has benefitted 257 institutions, registered 332,715 students for loans, and made payments to over 18,000 students showcases how DPI can eliminate financial barriers to education.