Uche Chigbo, the Director, Southeast Territorial, and Head of NIMC's Ward- level Expansion, has announced a new strategy aimed at alleviating long queues while enhancing the registration of National Identification Numbers (NIN) in rural and underserved communities across the region.
In a recent interview with ARISE NEWS, Chigbo elaborated on NIMC’s efforts to broaden its enrollment system to include all wards throughout Nigeria.
"Residents in rural areas have a right to register and acquire their NIN to gain access to vital services such as social intervention initiatives, healthcare, and financial inclusion. Our primary goal is to address the significant enrollment gaps in rural and marginal regions," she stated.
Additionally, Chigbo indicated that the NIMC is enlisting the help of approved agents, referred to as front-end partners, to facilitate the registration process rather than relying exclusively on government offices.
"NIMC has authorized front-end partners to handle data collection on behalf of the Commission. We are utilizing their capabilities for ward-level enrollments. These agents can reach every corner of the federation, helping us reduce overcrowding in urban centers," she remarked.
Chigbo also addressed the challenge of digital illiteracy in rural areas, asserting that NIMC is tackling this issue through community engagement and communication in local dialects, while refuting allegations of political intentions behind the expansion efforts at the ward level.
"We recognize the importance of engaging stakeholders. We are partnering with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to connect with grassroots communities. We are working alongside local leaders, traditional authorities, and faith- based organizations to raise awareness about the significance of the NIN," she added.
"Effective communication in familiar languages is crucial; hence, we utilize jingles and focus groups in various local dialects. NIMC has been conducting enrollments since 2012 as part of our ongoing operations, with offices in every state capital and all 774 local government areas. Our goal is to extend enrollment into the wards to minimize barriers tied to distance and logistics," Chigbo explained.
Regarding concerns about double registrations for NIN, Chigbo assured that NIMC's enrollment process is equipped to capture and verify personal information, effectively preventing fraud.
"Our system is designed to gather demographic and biometric data, implementing exception handling for individuals like amputees who cannot provide fingerprints. Instances of double NIN registrations could occur if someone attempts to misuse the system as an 'amputee,' where biometrics aren’t collected again. Nonetheless, NIMC conducts extensive data cleaning and re- validates all records, cross-referencing adult biometrics against existing ones," she clarified.
In response to reports of duplicate NINs, Director Chigbo remarked, "This is a new or unfamiliar case to me. I would like to review that report so we can engage with those who compiled it to discuss it more thoroughly."
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