Ongoing synchronization of National Identification Number with SIM cards will help the nation to easily identify crooks, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.
He said this on Thursday while inaugurating the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in Nigerian Telecoms Sector and Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Cards registration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“The NIN will cover one of the weaknesses in our security structure. We will be able to easily identify and know the personality of Nigerians. We will identify people easily, including the crooks,’’ Buhari said.
“The National Identification Number is the foundational digital ID for the country; both Nigerian citizens and legal residents are expected to obtain the NIN. It will provide access to government services and will give the government useful insights that will enable us to utilize scarce resources in a more efficient way.”
“Previous attempts have been unsuccessful due to a number of reasons, including sabotage. Our focused approach shows that this administration is dedicated to ensuring that we derive the benefits of a secure and robust digital identity system.”
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, said the NIN registration had recorded a huge success with 54 million Nigerians already captured in the process, adding, “within six months over 12 million will be enrolled.’’
Pantami said it was now possible to have virtual ID cards that can be used in various transactions, assuring that the NIN and Sim card registration for Nigerians and legal residents will cover 99.9 per cent of the people.
