National Identity Day: NIMC Raises Awareness on Importance of NIN

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reiterated the importance of providing every Nigerian and legally resident foreigner in the country with a unique identity number as part of its efforts to build a reliable national database and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.

The Commission made the call on Wednesday, September 16, during activities marking this year’s National Identity Day, which featured a roadshow and public awareness campaign in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The roadshow, which involved NIMC staff and stakeholders, sought to sensitise members of the public to the importance of having a National Identification Number (NIN) and the opportunities associated with a reliable national identity system.

In Abeokuta, the atmosphere took on a carnival-like feel as the NIMC team moved through the Presidential Boulevard area of Oke-Mosan with a vehicle-mounted public address system and a giant banner, drawing attention to the importance of national identification.

The roadshow, led by the Ogun State Coordinator of NIMC, Mr Olusola Shotayo, later stopped at the Federal Secretariat, Abeokuta, where staff and stakeholders distributed information leaflets and educated members of the public on the benefits of having a national identity.

At the Commission’s office in Abeokuta, an interactive discourse was held during which the Assistant Director of Operations and Head of Local Government Coordination in the state, Mr Olugbenga Odesanya, elaborated on this year’s theme: “Nigeria’s Digital Public Ecosystem: Empowering Africa’s Digital Economy.”

Odesanya noted that “a strong digital economy cannot function effectively without a trusted identity infrastructure.”

He explained that before individuals could securely access financial services, government programmes, healthcare, education, telecommunications and other digital services, there must be a reliable means of establishing and verifying their identities.

He said this underscored the importance of NIMC’s mandate, adding that the NIN was “more than just a number.”

According to him, the NIN is an important component of Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure and a key enabler of identity verification and inclusion.

Earlier, Shotayo read the welcome address of the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote.

In her address, Coker-Odusote said National Identity Day provided an opportunity to reflect on “who we are,” stressing that identity was no longer merely a number.
She noted that having an identity meant that no one was invisible to the nation, adding that a verifiable identity could serve as a gateway to opportunities and essential services.

The NIMC Director-General said, “As technology advances and the demands of government increase, we must ensure every citizen is known and served,” while calling for renewed commitment to building a nation where everyone is properly identified.

Speaking in the same vein, Shotayo said the issuance of identity numbers had moved beyond the traditional methods of the past.
He said the new law signed in June had placed new responsibilities on stakeholders, stressing the need for all hands to be on deck.

“It is no longer business as usual. Lots of organisations now depend on us,” he said.
Representatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and the Social Orientation and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps), among other stakeholders, also commended NIMC’s efforts to ensure that Nigerians and legal residents are uniquely identified.

The activities ended with the cutting of a commemorative cake to mark the National Identity Day.