The director-general and CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote has charged the commission’s front-end enrolment partners (FEPs) to create access to critical services for the population.
The CEO, who was speaking during the commission’s management retreat, emphasised the crucial role front-end users play in ensuring nationwide inclusion and upholding data protection standards, articulated NIMC’s clear mission during the retreat, stating, “Our mission at NIMC is clear: to equip each Nigerian and legal resident with a unique and secure National Identification Number (NIN). This number is the key to accessing critical services, social benefits, and economic prospects”.
She urged FEPs to recognise their pivotal role in reaching citizens across Nigeria, from bustling cities to isolated villages. The focus is on inclusivity, ensuring that no one, including the vulnerable, people with disabilities, those in remote locations, is left behind in the NIN enrollment process.
Acknowledging the importance of the enrollment process’s integrity, Coker-Odusote entrusted FEPs with the responsibility of treating candidate information with care, accuracy, and thoroughness. She emphasised the need to protect the database from errors, fraud and threats to its integrity.
Coker-Odusote highlighted the trust applicants place in NIMC, emphasizing the need for FEPs to uphold professional behavior, excellent communication, and confidentiality. “When an applicant enters an enrollment centre, they put their trust in us. We must honor that confidence.”
The commission’s director of business development and commercial services, Mrs. Carolyn Folami provided insights into the ongoing revalidation effort, aimed at sanitising the system and correcting identified gaps. She took the opportunity to announce the commencement of payment for outstanding arrears owed to FEPs.
“So far, 96 FEPs have been revalidated. This month (February), we began paying the FEPs’ outstanding arrears in accordance with the DG/CEO’s earlier promise. We have now paid well over 15 companies and are attempting to clear the arrears. We’ve done some housekeeping. Currently, we are only working with Android smartphones,” Folami stated.
In a surprising turn of events, FEPs expressed their gratitude towards Coker-Odusote for initiating the payment of outstanding arrears. Speaking at the retreat, a partner at Jibyes Consulting, Tunde Ogunmola praised the DG/CEO for the timely discussion.
“We have been looking forward to our meeting with the DG/CEO of NIMC. It’s an opportunity to interact while increasing enrollment. We need more of this type of interaction to improve performance. The ongoing revalidation is an essential step to sanitise the system, as many things were not working properly before this point. I can certainly certify that payment has begun. Jibyes Consulting has received payment from the NIMC and we are pleased.”
Chinaka Obi-Ezenwugo of Miandkay Enterprise emphasised, “Revalidation helps NIMC separate the chaff from the wheat. It was an extremely clear process. I can also confirm that we’ve been paid. It’s a huge relief.”
The five-day retreat, themed “NIMC’s fiv-point Agenda on Strategy Development and Implementation,” focused on securing stakeholder buy-in to the current administration’s initiatives and seeking long-term solutions to the commission’s challenges.
Highlights of the retreat included paper presentations, interactive meetings with the NIMC DG/CEO, breakout sessions, presentations on implementation updates, and team bonding exercises, a statement by the NIMC head of corporate communications, Kayode Adegoke said.The retreat aimed to strengthen collaboration and build a robust strategy for the successful implementation of NIMC’s initiatives.
NIMC, under the leadership of Coker-Odusote is actively engaging FEPs and stakeholders in a unified effort to achieve nationwide inclusion, uphold data protection standards and ensure the success of critical initiatives.
