In line with the stipulations of the Act setting up the NIMC, and the presidential directive to data collecting agencies of government to harmonize their data with the NIMC, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has given the nod for the release of data from the ongoing Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards registration exercise to the National Identity Management Commission. The landmark announcement was made at the NCC headquarters in Abuja during a courtesy call on Prof. Danbatta by the Director General and Chief Enrollment Officer, NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Danbatta said the decision to release the data is in line with Federal Government’s instruction to transfer validated data to NIMC. He said the collaboration by the two agencies of government was “to ensure that we have a secure, reliable database containing biometric information for all Nigerians, which will definitely augur well for the security of the country among other benefits” He went on to emphasize that “we are committed to this. We recognize the importance of this cooperation and I would like to stress the need to give it all the seriousness it deserves”.
The Executive Vice Chairman also stressed the need for the inter-agency committee on data harmonization to fast-track the data transfer process to NIMC. He rounded up by directing the NCC to ensure that the data transferred to NIMC are fully backed up, to avoid any hitches in future.
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While responding to the announcement, Engr. Aliyu Aziz expressed NIMC’s appreciation for the warm relationship between the two agencies and assured the NCC that the SIM Registration data transfer would boost the existing record of National Identification Number (NIN) holders currently in the National Identity Database, as the Commission would ensure that NIN will be generated for the owners of the records transferred who are yet to get their NIN.
The announcement by the NCC is coming on the heels of the approval and transfer of the first batch of Bank Verification Number data to NIMC by the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS).