Nigeria’s National Assembly has begun the process of repealing and re-enacting NIMC Act No. 23 to strengthen the regulatory function of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Gatekeepers News reports NIMC’s Head of Communications, Kayode Adegoke revealed this through a statement released on Friday.
The proposed NIMC Bill aims to enhance efficacy and inclusivity of National Identity Management System by increasing the scope of registrable persons.
It is set to yield benefits including enhanced national security, efficient service delivery, and promoted financial inclusion.
NIMC said, “The amendments seek to fortify the foundational framework of the NIMC and its operations by expanding the scope of registrable persons.”
“The benefit to the country is a more comprehensive and inclusive identification system, which enhances national security, facilitates efficient service delivery, and promotes financial inclusion.”
According to the commission; the bill will streamline sharing of personal data, incorporating robust data protection measures to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ data and foster trust among citizens in the handling of their information.
Also, the proposed law is expected to enhance its administrative enforcement power to ensure timely and accurate compliance with ID registration requirements.
Passing the NIMC repeal and enactment bill into law will lead to a more streamlined registration process, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing the reliability of Nigeria’s ID System.
Despite the milestone of enrolling about 107 million Nigerians for National Identity Numbers, NIMC faces allegations of privacy violations as custodians of the country’s database.
NIMC further denied experiencing a data breach, saying the national identity registry under its custody has not been compromised.
Digital rights advocates, however, argue that NIMC has failed to secure the data entrusted to it by Nigerians.
According to them; NIMC needs to take responsibility, acknowledge the data leaks, and ensure they don’t happen again.
