News
Stakeholders meet on developing digital identity ecosystem
By Wale Oguntokun
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on ICT, Mr. Lanre Osibona, has debunked online news reports that the Nigerian government will be spending additional $3.1bn on Digital National Identity. He stated this at the stakeholder’s meeting on the adoption of the ‘Strategic Roadmap Document for Developing Digital Identity Ecosystem’ in Nigeria.
According to him, the said report was not only inaccurate, but entirely misleading, adding that the issues and challenges around the successful implementation of the National Identity are many, and they must be addressed collectively.
Relying on World Bank’s research in 2015, the SSA pointed out that the Country has spent $1.2 billion since the late 1970’s; however, much work remains undone.
“We are projected to spend an additional $3.1 billion if we are to follow the existing approach of developing identification in Nigeria. In other words, with the present administration’s prudent management of funds and applying cost-effective approaches across the ID ecosystem, the country could spend less on the project.
Acknowledging that, funding had not been a key issue, he added that “one of the biggest challenges in achieving a holistic and robust national identity has been the lack of a workable ecosystem and practical approaches.”
He pointed out some of the changes that have been made and are ongoing.
Some of those immediate changes include, but not limited to, employing a smart approach, such as “reducing the number of identity attributes we will be collecting from, what I believe, was 75 attributes, to just ONLY 10 for the NIMC Foundational System. The idea is that, we have a baseline of basic data of all Nigerians which can be built on by Functional ID stakeholders.”
“We have also analyzed cost-effective methods to transit from the issuance of physical cards as ID into a digital National Identity Number (NIN) if we are to truly register all our citizens”.
“On planning and implementation. The implementation of the National Identity will be undertaken as a project-based deliverable. Starting with the development of the Harmonized Digital National Identity Strategic Roadmap, for which we are undergoing a final review with all of you stakeholders. In addition, we have clearly defined key milestone deliverables, done our forecasted expenditures (OPEX & CAPEX) and the associated funding, and mapped out a timeframe to ensure there are measurable successes.”
“However, these changes are only as good as our collective efforts. Everyone has a part to play in developing a robust and innovative identity ecosystem.”
“The benefits of a single National Identity System with biometrics, offering a unique digital identity number to every person – are numerous. Enabling innovation, fostering social inclusion and a socially responsible society, enhance the development of a more efficient national planning, robust and effective security management”.
However, it is important to point out that SSA, Mr Lanre Osibona (who was at the meeting, in his capacity as the VP’s representative) was suggestive in his remarks and made no affirmations during the stakeholder meeting.
“Each stakeholder (for both Foundational and Functional uses) stands to gain tremendously from this system” e stated.
He further pointed out that the FRSC can leverage on the harmonized digital identity ecosystem to enforce traffic offences and telephone operators will have a robust database to verify existing and new customers and can focus their attention on innovative offerings.
Also, bank operators can accelerate the KYC process and extend innovative financial solutions to a wider segment of society and overall security benefits of curbing fraudulent activities in a current environment of anonymity.
The Senior Aide from the Office of the Vice President called for a spirit of collaboration, saying that no man is sole repository of knowledge; “while there must be single-mindedness in our drive to strive forward, contributions are necessary if we are to successfully implement this program”.
Accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) adoption could increase Africa’s GDP by up to 4% over the next decade, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a report released on Tuesday, titled Africa Can Grow Faster With AI—If It Moves Now, economists from the IMF’s Africa Department say current levels of AI adoption and utilisation are expected to contribute just 0.2% to the region’s GDP over the next 10 years.
However, the report says stronger adoption, supported by the right infrastructure and policies, could raise the economic impact to about 4% by extending AI beyond today’s digitally connected firms.
Martin Schindler and other IMF economists say: “AI adoption in sub-Saharan Africa currently lags well behind every other region. If richer economies race ahead while African firms and governments lag, the productivity gap between the region and the rest of the world will only widen.”
Early signs of AI adoption are emerging across Africa, with countries including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Egypt and Nigeria developing AI strategies.
Telecommunications operators, including Vodacom, Econet, Africell and MTN, are also integrating AI into their operations and networks.
Other examples include chatbots supporting teaching and learning in Nigeria and the South African Revenue Service’s use of data analytics for targeted tax audits.
However, the IMF says AI adoption must extend beyond these early use cases to deliver meaningful economic benefits.
“For the region, AI’s main promise is not about replacing office workers, but boosting productivity across the economy—helping informal firms manage inventory, enabling farmers to increase yields, and supporting mid-sized firms to transition to formality and export readiness,” the report reads.
The IMF is urging governments to prioritise investment in reliable electricity, affordable broadband, data infrastructure and digital skills to support wider AI adoption.
Many African countries, including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, continue to face electricity shortages, while broadband services remain costly and coverage is uneven.
The Fund believes stronger investment in power, connectivity, regional data infrastructure and digital skills would help unlock AI’s economic potential.
National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system to strengthen legal identity management and improve demographic data.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, Mr Afolabi Yori, federal commissioner representing Kogi, said the initiative became operational nationwide on July 1, through the VitalReg platform.
Yori described the development as a landmark in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would modernise birth and death registration through a technology-driven platform that meets international standards.
He said the digital platform would improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria was accurately documented and securely stored.
According to him, civil registration is more than an administrative process, as it provides reliable statistics that support public policy formulation, resource allocation and national development planning.
“Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet millions of births and deaths remain unregistered.
“Birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent,” he said.
The commissioner said that the commission had established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and was working to expand the number to about 8,000.
He added that the commission was strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to improve the capacity of registration personnel and ensure prompt documentation of vital events through the VitalReg platform.
Yori said the platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, and reduce paperwork, waiting time and unnecessary travel.
He disclosed that the platform was being operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnks-forte Technologies Ltd. as the commission’s technical partner to ensure system availability, cybersecurity and continuous technological improvement.
He called on parents, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to support the initiative by encouraging the prompt registration of births and deaths.
Earlier, Samuel Omonakpeme, director in Kogi, NPC State, described the commencement of the digital registration system as another milestone in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
Omonakpeme stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all.
He appreciated the Federal Government, the leadership of the commission, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the initiative.
The state director also urged parents, guardians, health institutions, community leaders, religious organisations and the media to mobilise public support for the timely registration of all births and deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that ICT personnel of the commission, led by Ehimoni Kolawole, conducted a live demonstration of the digital birth registration process using the VitalReg platform.
The demonstration showed that the registration process captures the biodata of both parents, while at least one parent must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration of a newborn.
Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.
In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.
According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.
The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.
YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.
The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.
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