The Nigerian government has said that the recent plastic national identity card will be replaced with a digital means of identification.
The minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this on Thursday, August 13, in an interaction with newsmen after the committee on citizen’s data management and harmonization held a meeting with the president.
Aregbesola, who is also the chairman of the committee, said that the card is no more the focus, adding that the important thing is the National Identity Number (NIN).
The minister said the digital process will be to be domiciled in the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Furthermore, the minister of communications and digital economy, Ali Pantami who was present at the press briefing, stated that the world had gone digital and stopped focusing on the production of cards. “What the chairman is saying now is that we are no more talking about cards, the world has gone digital. So, that card is no more,” he said.
“Our priority now is digital ID, it will be attached to your database wherever you are.
Pantami explained that the government was now focused on the digital ID and not on the card. “Now, our focus is no longer on producing cards, that card is only for record but what is important is that the digital ID and if you notice we have started using the digital ID on the international passport.
“Once you have the digital ID but not the card, we are 100 percent done with you,” the minister said.
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