Issuance of NIN to Nigerians hit 104.16m in 2023
(Business Africa Digest)-The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in it’s latest data report said it has issued National Identification Numbers (NIN) to a total of 104.16 million Nigerians as of December 31, 2023.
Inspite of the feat by the commission, the country is struggling to meet the World Bank’s target of 148 million NINs by June 2024 under the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
The data indicates a total of 10.13 million NINs were issued throughout 2023, bringing the NIN database from 94.03 million in December 2022 to the current figure.
The slow pace of registration has been a concern, prompting action with the recent appointment of Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote as the new Director-General of NIMC.
Lagos State maintains its lead in NIN enrolments, capturing 11.42 million Nigerians, followed closely by Kano State with 9.19 million NINs.
The top ten states also include Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Katsina, FCT, Rivers, Delta, and Bauchi.However, certain states face lower enrolment figures, with Kwara, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi, Enugu, Yobe, Taraba, Cross River, Ekiti, Ebonyi, and Bayelsa forming the bottom ten in terms of NIN registrations.Gender distribution data reveals that 59.12 million (56.8%) of the captured individuals are male, while 45.04 million (43.2%) are female.
Despite the progress, meeting the World Bank’s targets remains uncertain, as Nigeria must issue NIN to at least 65 million females and 50 million children under 16 years of age by June 1, 2024.
NIMC assures the public that efforts are underway to accelerate the issuance of digital identity tokens, aligning with the renewed hope mandate of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. As the deadline approaches, the nation remains committed to achieving the ambitious ID4D project goals.
