Government can save N36bn from harmonized database – NIMC
The Nigerian government can save about N36 billion and launch Nigeria into the world of big data if all the independent databases can be harmonized according to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Aliyu A. Aziz, director general and chief executive officer of the agency, which has the mandate to establish and maintain a unique national identity database in Nigeria, disclosed this at the Nigeria Mobile Economy Dialogue 2016.
“Having various databases from Permanent Voter Card (PVC), Sim Card Registration and Bank Verification Number is a chaos. Nigeria government has a prospect of saving about N36 billion and make the country a world of big data if we are able to harmonize our database from various agencies of government,” he said.
Aziz revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria/Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System has about 16 million records; the Independent National Electoral Commission has about 60 million records; the Nigerian Communications Commission has over 150 million records; Federal Road Safety Commission boasts of about 5 million records, while the Nigeria Immigration Service has 20 million records in its database.
Commenting on the Identity Management Life Cycle, he stated that there has been no single source of unique identity for citizens throughout their lifetime from birth to death, adding that citizens’ identity has consistently changed from the period of their birth to the period of their death.
He affirmed that the consequences of the various databases of the massive exclusions, underdeveloped sectors, security issues and lack of competitiveness, result in high operational cost and losses due to fraud.
