From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Digital ID4D project says it is developing mechanisms to facilitate easier biometric data capturing for marginalized groups and those living with disability.
The Nigeria Digital ID4D is a project, jointly funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and the French Development Agency to increase the number of persons with a National Identity Number (NIN), issued by a robust and inclusive foundational Identity system, that facilitates their access to services.
Speaking at a one-day roundtable with liaison/desk officers of the project’s ecosystem implementing partners in Abuja, its Project Coordinator,
Solomon Odole said: “The Nigeria Digital ID4D is genuinely interested in promoting inclusion of marginalized groups because of the realisation that historically, ID systems often lead to exclusion due to logistics and social stigma which may hinder participation of women and persons with disability.”
He also said the project will promote transparency and accountability, participation, grievance redress and regular monitoring to improve operational performance and mitigation of identified social risks as regard the NIN.
“The project is designed to support the grievance redress system of the National Identity Management Commission, by which it responds to queries or clarifications, resolves problems with implementation and effectively addresses complaints and grievances for project beneficiaries and ecosystem partners.
“The aim of the project is to strengthen the foundational ID system, and in the process, improve national data protection, bolster Nigeria’s digital economy and close the inclusion gaps in access to identification and related key services, while fostering inclusion for marginalized groups, such as persons living with disability, the rural poor, etc.” he added.
Odole also explained that the the idea of desk officers was to ensure a single point of contact with each of the ecosystem implementing partners, to ensure that their partners do not miss out on any important step in the project implementation.
While speaking at the event, the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Aliyu Aziz, said any reports of the Commission’s system being down are false and only targeted at discrediting it .
