NIN – A time for long-term approach
By
By Mustafa Yusuf-Adebola
Concerns have been raised for a long time over the lack of data as well as duplicity of available biometric data of Nigerians. For instance, the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers) Regulations, 2011 makes it mandatory for mobile telephone service licensees to capture and register biometric information (facial images and fingerprints) and other personal information and transmit the subscriber’s such information to a central database. Proxy registration is prohibited. This central database is managed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) but remains the property of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It was the violation of a section of this regulation that got MTN a N1.04 trillion fine in 2016. To obtain a new driver’s licence and renew an existing licence, applicants are required among other steps to ‘proceed to the FRSC Officer at the Driver’s