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FG to Spend Additional $3.1bn on Digital National Identity

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday in Abuja, said the Federal Government required additional 3.1 billion US dollars to achieve digital national identity for all citizens.

Osinbajo disclosed this at the Stakeholder Workshop on Strategic Roadmap for Digital Identity, Eco-system in Nigeria.

The VP, represented by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on ICT, Mr Lanre Osibona, said a World Bank research of 2015 showed that Nigeria spent 1.2 billion US dollars since the 1970s on the project

He explained that the digital identity ecosystem was aimed at having a basic data of all Nigerians, which could be built upon by the functional identity stakeholders.

“This is over two years of relentless effort to get to where we are today, the issue and challenges to ensuring a successful national identity are many and they must be addressed collectively.

“However, one thing I can assure you of is that funding has never been one of those challenges.

“According to World Bank research in 2015, Nigeria spent 1.2 billion dollars since the late 1970s but much work remains undone.

“We are projected to spend an additional 3.1 billion US dollars, if we are to follow the existence approach of developing identification in Nigeria.

“The incredible benefit of this programme is at stake and we must get it right this time,’’ Osinbajo said.

The vice president said further that the major challenge facing identity programme was the lack of a working record system and practical approaches.

He said changes had been made to the process of enrolling on the digital national identity to ease the procedure, which included reduction of identity attributes from 75 to 10.

Osinbajo emphasised on the gains of the digital identity number, stating that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would easily enforce traffic offences through unified identity system.

He added that bank transaction would also become easier, saying that the benefit derivable from the technology cannot be quantified.

He said: “it covers over all security benefits in an environment of current anonymity’’.

Mr Aliyu Aziz, Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), had called for collaboration among agencies handling data to help actualise the eco-system approach of national identity.

He said the digital identity was meant to give every Nigerian a unique identity, boost development and promote security in the country.

“The plan of giving every Nigerian a unique identity within a period of three to five years programme can only happen if we all work together.

“Nigeria is a very special country where people without identity live well and eat three square meals and there has been a lot of issues related to this identity.

“Policies developed must be articulated and refined in such a way that government agencies will work together, share infrastructure and investment to serve their customers who are potentially the same citizens and residents.

“We should give Nigeria a world class identity management, infrastructure, which will boost security and socio-economic transformation,’’ he said.

Also, Mr Mahmood Mohammed, Chairman, House Committee on National ID commended the Federal Government for the huge amount spent on the project so far.

Mohammed, therefore, assured the stakeholders of the National Assembly’s support in actualising the digital national identity.

He also called on similar agencies to work together and ensure a unified database and identity for Nigerians.


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Lawyers Drags NLS to Court for Alleged Election Fraud, Data Violation

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Two Nigerian lawyers have sued promoters of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) over allegations of electoral fraud and unlawful use of personal data.

Lawyers Drags NLS to Court for Alleged Election Fraud, Data Violation

The legal actions follow the recent election conducted by the NLS, a breakaway association formed as an alternative to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to elect its national officers.

In one of the suits, marked FHC/ABJ/05/1506/2025 and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, a lawyer, Timothy Tersugh Ahua, is challenging the conduct of the election and the legitimacy of the electoral process.

Ahua named several NLS promoters, including prominent lawyers, as defendants.

They include Senior Advocates, Chief Mela Audu Nunghe, Dr. Ugoji Eze, Secretary of the NLS Electoral Committee, and Chief Bolaji, Chairman of the NLS.

Others named in the suit are Ferguson Chioma Blessing, Chief Emeka Ichoku, and Tejumola Adigun.

Citing provisions of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules, Ahua is asking the court to declare that the NLS electoral process violated its constitution.

He is seeking a declaration that all unopposed candidates, including himself, be declared elected, as published by Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, the alternate Chairman of the NLS Electoral Committee.

Ahua claims he was duly nominated for the position of Secretary General but was unjustly excluded, accusing the defendants of hand-picking candidates in breach of the rules.

He further alleged that the exclusion caused him financial loss, reputational damage, and personal hardship, urging the court to correct what he described as a grave injustice.

In a separate suit before the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, another lawyer, Oluwadare Thomas, sued Chief Mela Nunghe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Ugoji Eze, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), over alleged violation of his data privacy rights.

Thomas is asking the court to determine whether the use and publication of his personal data by NLS election officials without his consent amounts to a breach of Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

He also wants the court to consider whether the use of the NLS name for the election, despite a CAC notice and a pending suit, constitutes contempt of court and abuse of legal process.

He is seeking several declaratory and injunctive reliefs, including a court order restraining the continued use of his personal data and an order compelling NITDA and NDPC to investigate and sanction the respondents.

Thomas is also demanding N50m in compensation for the alleged unlawful processing and exposure of his personal information.


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NASRDA Celebrates Chief Owolabi Salis on His Historic Space Mission

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The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has congratulated Chief Owolabi Salis on his successful space flight. He becomes the first person of Nigerian birth to travel to space.

Chief Salis privately funded his space mission, demonstrating the deep interest of Nigerians to participate in scientific, exploratory, tourism and commercial space activities. His achievement highlights new opportunities for private sector engagement in space Program.

This milestone brings significant international attention to Nigeria’s space program, capabilities, while positioning the nation among countries where citizens actively participate in space activities.

In a statement signed by Dr. Felix Ale, director, Media and Corporate Communications, NASRDA, stated that chief Salis’s successful mission represents one pathway for Nigerian space participation. “His achievement complements NASRDA’s ongoing efforts to expand access to space exploration for Nigerian citizens.

“NASRDA received notification of Chief Salis’s mission through our partner organization, Space Research and Exploration Agency (SERA), prior to the flight. His success demonstrates the expanding opportunities now available to Nigerians in the space sector.

“However, it must be emphasized that the NASRDA-SERA collaborative mission, announced in June 2024, remains on course for an upcoming Blue Origin flight. This program represents a different pathway, providing opportunities for broader Nigerian participation through open competition.

“Our collaborative mission will enable Nigerian citizens to participate in astronaut selection and contribute to the development of research proposals. Eligibility extends to all Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above through transparent, merit-based selection criteria.

“Research priorities for the NASRDA-SERA mission will also be determined through public input from Nigerian citizens. This approach ensures the mission addresses national priorities identified by Nigerian citizens,” the statement added.

The application portal for the NASRDA-SERA program will open in the coming weeks. Detailed application procedures will be announced prior to the portal’s activation.

NASRDA celebrates Chief Salis’s contribution to raising awareness about space exploration opportunities for Nigerians. His private investment demonstrates the practical commitment of Nigerian citizens to advancing our national space participation.

Chief Salis’s achievement marks a defining moment for Nigeria’s space ambitions. Nigeria now has both private citizens and government programs actively pursuing space exploration, positioning the nation as an active participant in the global space   economy.

For additional information regarding NASRDA programs or the SERA collaborative mission, contact the agency’s Media and Corporate Communication Department.


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NIA Questions Legality of Reps’ Financial Probe

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The Nigerian Insurers Association has urged the House Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to respect the constitutional separation of powers as it carries out a probe on over 20 insurance firms.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIA, Mrs Bola Odukale, said the decision of NIA and the affected firms to approach the court was to seek clarity on the constitutional limits of the House Committee’s probe.

It would be recalled that the House of Representatives on Monday is investigating no fewer than 25 insurance companies operating in the country for various financial infractions spanning financial reporting, claims settlement, premium remittance, and issuance of policies.

The Chairman, House Sub-Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Kwamoti Laori, during a meeting with the management of the insurance companies at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, said the meeting was convened following the receipt of a petition on infractions by the insurance companies.

In the statement, Odukale said, “The Association wishes to state unequivocally that all actions taken by the NIA and the affected member companies in response to the Committee’s invitations and pronouncements were based entirely on legal advice by its Solicitors. It was on the firm instruction of legal counsel that recourse was made to the courts.

“The objective of approaching the Court is to seek judicial guidance on the legality, propriety, and constitutional limits of the Committee’s intervention in order to safeguard institutional integrity, uphold regulatory independence, and ensure that legislative oversight remains within the bounds of law.

“The Court action seeks to determine whether the current posture of the Committee reflects an exercise of legislative judgment, which, by constitutional design, is the exclusive province of statutory regulators, such as the National Insurance Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Exchange, Financial Reporting Council, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

“This raises serious questions about legislative overreach and an erosion of the doctrine of separation of powers, a cornerstone of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.”

Odukale maintained that the NIA was committed to lawful and constructive engagement with all arms of government, provided that such engagement respects the autonomy of statutory regulators and the boundaries established by the Constitution.

“The NIA will continue to provide its full support to all member companies while upholding the principles of legal compliance and sector-wide integrity,” Odukale concluded.

17 of the companies that went to court were represented by their lawyer, Mr Abimbola Kayode, at the meeting with the committee.


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