One thing that dominated Nigerian media space of recent was that of National Identification Number (NIN) registration or linking NIN with our mobile numbers. The whole episode is a typical Nigerianization i.e. chaotic. From the beginning of this exercise one knew it was going to end like what it did if not worse. Dr. Pantami, from your knowledge and exposure we know you can quietly deliver more than this. It is time you reorganize your team for one purpose, that is winning at all cost. By winning I mean delivering quality services well organized to international standards and practices, as well as in commiserate to your qualifications, knowledge, and exposure. Anything short of this is a failure for you and people of your caliber.
Honorable minister, this assignment is one of the easiest one to be conducted as everything is already done for by other Federal Government agencies. Firstly, ask and collect all BVN data from CBN. All issued BVN are attached to a mobile number, through this channel, you reduce more than forty million Nigerians that own bank accounts. All that is needed to issue a NIN is also needed before a BVN to be issued.
Thus, the data is already there with CBN. You just collect it, verify it, and assign the NIN to those mobile numbers that are not having the NIN. Secondly, liaise with Nigeria Immigration service (NIS). That is, all Nigerian international passport holders collect their data from NIS. Like BVN, all issued Nigerian international passports are attached to a mobile number. Thus, you just need to verify all the data collected from NIS and issue the NIN to those qualified. Thirdly, let the mobile companies do the job for you. That is, let the telephone carriers collect all the information you needed from their customers (those you screened not have the NIN from the data you collected from CBN, NIS) and send it to NIMC for screening and issuance of NIN. Fourthly, you could also involve all tertiary institutions of higher learning.
All students that register for any academic session all their data needs to be captured and sent to NIMC for verification and issuance of NIN (as all NIN issuance requirements are almost the same as registering in all tertiary of higher learning in Nigeria. By this, all foreign students will be easily captured through this channel). All others that NIMC could not ascertain their identity, they need to go to NIMC agents for them to be issued the NIN. NIMC could also leverage the data from the Federal Road Safety Corps, as all driving licenses are now attached to phone numbers.
An interesting issue left behind is not involving security agencies or seeking their advice on this matter, particularly that of issuing or attaching NIN to multiple mobile numbers. For security reasons there should be limitations of mobile numbers to be attached to a single NIN. This will need Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Corp, and State Security collaboration or input as a result of their experiences or encounter with different kinds of criminals. Because having 5, 6, or even 7 lines is a clear red flag that the person holding those lines is up to something sinister. One major problem we are facing in this country is lack of synergy among government agencies, each ministry or agency doing its activities with total disregard of others irrespective of their relevance. For example, when CBN introduced its cashless policy, nobody thought of involving our security agencies. Today we are all paying for that. All these insecurities we are facing today, particularly kidnapping and banditry are result of the cashless policy. We all know that before the introduction of this cashless policy, any vehicle stopped on the road, the passenger in the vehicle will be robbed of their money and monetary valuables with them. As a result of cashless policy nobody now takes huge money on the road, thus, whenever stopped on the road, the only option is kidnapping.
I am highly optimistic that all this unnecessary embracement caused to you and your ministry and the country in particular would be highly reduced through these channels. As there is no one channel of addressing public policy issues in any society, particularly one like Nigeria. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Itte Itte
