Another national identification? By Kassim Afegbua

The National Identity Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), Voters Card, Driver’s License, and International Passport, are just some of the many identity documents that we, as Nigerians possess; jointly, they contain all the important information any authority needs to identify and track or trace any citizen. The genuine authorities and users can, using the data banks of these registrations, access a rich biodata of every citizen who has been captured under these identification schemes. For any serious country with genuine intentions to capture and put to good use the data of its citizenry, what we have so far is satisfactory. Indeed these schemes can be seen as a duplication of effort, with each regime, claiming authorship of a specific identification scheme; as every past regime owes its people an account of its stewardship so they need things to point to. If and when we allow data to be registered here, there and everywhere, we run the risk of citizens data gettting into the hands of criminals: just the other day, it was reported that four Nigerian men have been jailed in the UK for fraud; fraud which they were able to perpetrate by accessing peoples data. While it is expected that these identification platforms will help to mitigate crime and criminalities, using the rich biodata of every citizen captured, paradoxically, the relationship between this data collection exercises and crime seems direct. New crimes are launched in a series, and insecurity is still pervasive; even when the government ostensibly knows everyone and where and what they are doing, where they are, Kidnappers still collect ransom using banks, even after the advent of the Bank Verification Numbers; transfers and withdrawals are still being carried out without much ado. Calling to question, what and how much use the data initially collected in the course of registering the citizens have been put to. The Tinubu-led federal government can streamline these numerous identification platforms into one holistic platform, and put the data to use for our security and more. I doubt that anybody will mind; but to launch another effort at registering citizens in a new scheme for identification, is unwarranted and unwelcome. No matter what name it is given, it is not palatable. Let them send out journalists to the streets to feel the pulse of the people on this issue.

Mr. President, please avoid yet another money guzzling effort at just acquiring citizens’ information. We’ve had enough. All we need if we want to behave differently from previous governments is to STREAMLINE all the identification platforms into ONE for identification, whereby each citizen will have one unique ID number to use in all identity verifications and transactions. Getting into another identification exercise will push the citizens into a disaffectionate relationship with the government. It will just look like another “opportunity for the boys” type of thing; and could cause the people to hurl unsavory insults at the government. The National Identification Number (NIN) is already synchronised into citizens international passport documentation, which offers an easy access into the biodata of every holder of the passport. Our NIN has gained a reputation as an acceptable database for citizens information, and has become a point of reference everytime information about a citizen is needed. A lot of resources has already been expended on this same type of exercise over the last few years; resources even beyond finances. Therefore, investing money afresh into this same goal by whatever name it is called will be a sheer waste of scarce resources and a loss of same. We need to deepen the collectible information instead, to expand its utility value. At the moment, China is creating new things everyday across all sectors to make life easy and pleasant for people all over the world. By this means their people generate huge income for their country and grow their economy. Why should we remain with this mundane identity matter? Whether AFRIGO, or any other name it is called, it will at best just be a duplication of effort and a means for some unscrupulous individuals to line their pockets. Mr. President Sir, please block this one.

There are very important and fundamental things that can be done to beef up what we currently have. First, we need to link the NIN to vehicle particulars of individuals, and also ensure verifiable street addresses of every citizen. In many other countries, once your vehicle plate number is captured, your location is easy to find. We need to deal with giving every location in Nigeria a registered address. Even when people relocate to new addresses, it should be registered. Many places in slums and down-towns cannot be traced. We need to do a proper house numbering exercise, so people can be identified with registered addresses: flats, houses, rooms, etc. The people who are advising Mr. President to launch another NIN exercise know this truth but I think the NIN maybe more lucrative for them, because of the inherent procurements and purchases.

House numbering and maybe post code need be taken very seriously to achieve the purpose of proper documentation of citizens. Once all the information is collected, there should be a secure and reliable database portal which the authorities can use for their work. The local government systems will come in handy to help birth this registration of every location.The Tinubu-led Federal Government must take care to avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor by ensuring that only what is needful is explored to put this great country on the right pedestal for growth. The government must run away from creating another opportunity for the boys, such as this suggestion of another identification number for whatever purpose.

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We can go back to the essence and benefits of data collection and see how far we have gone and how well we have done in that area, and then juxtapose the supposed need of a new exercise with all our other PRESSING needs and then see if this issue is worth mulling now. The current national data base portal should just continue be expanded on an ongoing basis to accommodate the entire citizens. If we create too many platforms for citizens identification, we will unduly create bottlenecks and security risks as we are witnessing today. It is not in doubt that President Tinubu means well for us, but another exercise of generating new and fresh identification numbers will be an exercise in overkill. There is a phrase, “ satisfactory, but not necessarily exhaustive.” I think that sufficiently describes the status of our personal data collection efforts in Nigeria. It is enough for now. The promoters of re-doing this exercise are looking at collecting bulk sums that will be voted for it, after which they will leave the burden of the exercise on the citizens to go from pillar to post to get themselves registered; without which the functionality of these citizens may be interrupted or even truncated. Those promoters don’t mind making the government unpopular with the people. It is better to deepen the information already collected, by ensuring that every abode and location has a registered address. Aside from drivers license, our NIN should serve as a social security number, and must be enforced with all the seriousness it deserves. It can then can be used to deliver the dividends of democracy, to each and every citizen; it can also be used to monitor the financial and social activities of citizens. The moment every citizen knows that his activities can be traced, they will be cautious.

Lastly for this episode, I pray Mr President to interrogate every initiative in this direction to see that it is unnecessary. The existing information on the NIN platform is rich, and can be deepened over time. It can be used in organizing Students Loan Fund issues, Civil Service issues, social services and insecurity issues. History will never lie. This nagging issue of insecurity can be largely addressed on several levels if indeed there is recourse to the data already collected. We can mitigate a lot of crises if we apply due diligence in executing the tasks of monitoring our citizenry and their activities. If anyone even talks about the needed support for the work to be done having collected the information, we have already PURCHASED them. We have CCTV Cameras everywhere already; purchased by past governments. For places where there is none, let us keep vigilance using locals as we focus on growing our economy until it is reasonable to face cameras installations, as a project. There are quite a few under and unemployed people in the country. By this, jobs will be created; and with their income, they can improve on themselves through education, which they will apply for better social positioning in the future. Hopefully in that future, the entire country too will move forward, and posterity will not blame this government for putting them behind. May God bless the Federal Government of Nigeria and its people.