NIMC blames PPP for delays in e-ID card distribution

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has blamed weak Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the delay in the distribution of the all-important electronic identity cards (e-IDs)

Mr. Loveday Ogbonna, head of Communications at NIMC told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the delays were caused by the failure of the Public-Private Partnership arrangement as NIMC was supposed to focus on managing the backend leaving the front end such as enrolment of citizens and card personalisation, etc. to the private sector.

He said “We started enrolling citizens in 2012 but did not start card personalisation until late 2014 hence the backlog of cards from 2012 to 2014.

“Now we are trying to clear the backlog as all 2012 cards are ready, 2013 and 2014 will hopefully be out before end of the year.

“Recall that NIMC was supposed to be a PPP arrangement where the NIMC only manages the backend leaving the front end (enrolment of citizens and card personalisation, etc) to the private sector but that marriage failed leaving NIMC with no option than to start getting into these areas which was not budgeted for,” he said.

He said that the capacity of our card personalisation bureau was not meant to take on commercial printing hence there is a particular quantity it must print per day.

“We are discussing with the private sectors to come into the card personalisation efforts and assist to get these cards out faster to Nigerians.

“The harmonization effort is paying off seriously particularly with the BVN and NCC. We collect data from them in batches, clean them up to meet our requirement and issue NIN to the individual but he/she will still be required to personally come to our office to complete the process as some of the field required by us are not usually contained in those data. So once you have your BVN, you are contacted to come for your NIN and just provide additional info to complete the process,” Mr. Ogbonna added.

To this end, the Head of Communications at NIMC confirmed, “The BVN data from banks have started arriving at NIMC, same as SIM registration data from NCC and others. Some agencies and banks are now connected live to NIN verification portal and are accepting the NIN as a choice means of identity validation. The CBN has directed all banks to commence the use of the NIN. NIMC will soon start enforcement.