Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, has announced that the Federal Government will engage in data harmonization through the National Identity Management Commission.
The minister stated that the age of various ID registrations in the country would soon be gone.
Tunji-Ojo stated this while receiving the MTN management team led by the CEO, Karl Toriola, in Abuja on Monday.
According to a statement by his media adviser, Babatunde Alao, the NIMC had been mandated to harmonize the country’s database.
Tunji-Ojo stated that there was a need for the country to have a tech-driven data hub under the ministry.
He stated that President Bola Tinubu was willing to enhance the country’s identity and security architecture.
The statement partly read, “We must have an interior hub. A massive data centre where we will have all our identity information documented.
“Data harmonisation is key. If we succeed at the Ministry of Interior, the success will start with NIMC. The integrity of our travel documents must be restored through the harmonisation of our data.
“This way, our people do not have to repeat data capture processes during the passport enrollment phase when they have a valid NIN.”
He highlighted that data harmonisation will significantly reduce people’s stress as well as government administrative expenditures.
He said: “When we harmonise our data, there will be an exchange amongst agencies such that when our people need data for a passport or BVN, with their NIN, their data can be pulled out. This will not only save us stress, cost, and energy but also help us optimise our processes.”
Tunji-Ojo pointed out that possessing a BVN number, a voter’s card number, a NIN, and a passport number all at the same time was unnecessary.
He said: “Information regarding the issuance of driving licences and passports, bank verification numbers, national identity numbers, subscriber identity modules, and others should be harmonised into digital chips for the planning and execution of government programmes for accelerated development.
He noted that there is no need for us to have a BVN number, a voter’s number, an NIN, and a passport number all at once, and this is why we have to work with NIMC to ensure that we harmonise all these and do away with these duplications.
“If NIMC performs well, NIS will perform better, and the police, NSCDC, and other agencies will perform admirably above par.”
