The Chief Executive Officer, Barnksforte Technology Ltd., Mr Dayo Bankole, has said that the launch of the Self- Service Application by National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) is laudable. He said that the launch of the App by the Director-General NIMC and Minister of Interior on Sept.16 was a major milestone in ensuring seamless National Identity Number(NIN) enrolment for Nigerians in the diaspora. Bankole gave the commendation in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. He commended President Bola Tinubu for making the right choice of appointing the minister and Acting DG to lead the agencies on National Identity Management. Bankole said that the self-service mobile application was developed in partnership with Barnksforte Technologies Ltd., a local ICT company, in accordance with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Data Protection laws.
He said that the application was designed with strict adherence to the provisions of NITDA Regulation on data protection and data privacy in Nigeria, following the business requirements of NIMC. Bankole said necessary measures had been put in place to ensure the security and protection of data while using the self service app, adding that since data was considered the ‘oil’ of the digital era, it was important to protect it. He further said besides being seamless, the cost of using the self- service app was minimal, adding that “it is cost effective compared to foreign technologies.” Bankole explained that the application had four self-service modules; self-service NIN enrolment, modification of data and validation as well as digital identity generation. According to him, the application is designed by Barnksforte Technologies Ltd., one of NIMC’s technical partners, with a long standing relationship.
Bankole pointed out that the use of the application which is accessible from anywhere in the World, would enable Nigerians in the diaspora to enrol, modify, validate and obtain digital Identity without the need to travel back to Nigeria. The CEO said the application would be available on Google Play Store and IOS App Store once it is rolled out. “The Self-Service NIN Enrolment is limited to Nigerians in the Diaspora, to enable them self-enrol for NIN from the comfort of their homes. On modification of data, it is a global service that allows for modification of data of a Nigerian with NIN and it includes names, date of birth, address and phone number modifications. In the same vein, validation is a global service that allows for validation of data for Nigerians with NIN by recapturing their facial and fingerprint bio-metrics to eliminate the challenge of missing bio-metrics and it is essential for standardisation. “Lastly is the digital Identity generation, which is also a global service and it allows for conversion of NIN into a digital ID or QR Code and can be presented to third party vendors when one’s NIN is required for day-to-day transactions. This eliminates the exposure of NIN to the public and it contains the owner’s bio data, finger and facial bio-metrics,” he said.
He said the self-service application was one of the two modules of NIMC’s Contactless System. It is a cutting-edge technology enabled on mobile devices to support seamless enrolment of Nigerians into the National Identity Database with no limitation, in addition to other NIMC’s services.” According to him, while the agent based solution is for Nigerians within the country, the self service mobile application was designed for Nigerians in the Diaspora. “The solution consists of a module which NIMC’s enrolment partners through their agents enrol Nigerians for NIN all over the country and another module, the NIMC Self-Service Mobile Application,, which was launched on Sept. 16,” he said.
Bankole also recalled that the acting Director-General of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the celebration of the 5th National Identity Day emphasised the transformative power of identity, highlighting its role in unlocking access to essential services. “Identity is more than a mere card or a number; it symbolises our existence, our entitlements and our place within society. It unlocks access to essential services, social benefits and pathways to personal and economic growth.” Bankole equally recalled the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, emphasising the need for secure and verifiable identities in the modern digital age. He said, “This is where access to essential services, banking, and even online social media platforms all require proper identity verification. We live in the modern digital age where a secure and verifiable identity is vital for any set system to work. Think about it, you can’t access bank services and get ATM cards without proving your identity.”(NAN)
