National News

Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Transformation of Service Delivery to Nigerians

Published

1 year ago

September 16, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Transformation of Service Delivery to Nigerians

By: Michael Mike

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a tool to enhancing the transformation of service delivery to all Nigerians, emphasizing the
critical role digital identity plays in the socioeconomic development of nations.

President Tinubu gave the commitment in his remarks during the celebration of the 6th National Identity Day, which was organised by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The event attracted delegations from the different African countries such as Kenya, South Sudan, Cote d’ Ivoire, Namibia as well as corporate organisations, state government representatives among others.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the President noted that the theme of this years’ Identity Day “Digital Public Infrastructure: (DPI) – Enabling Access to Services,” underscores the critical role that digital identity plays in the nation’s development.

He noted that: “In today’s digital age, the ability to prove one’s identity is not just a matter of convenience; it is a cornerstone of our socioeconomic progress. DPI is the backbone that enables access to essential services, from healthcare and education to financial inclusion and social welfare. It is through robust DPI that we can ensure every Nigerian, regardless of their background or location has the opportunity to participate fully in our nation’s growth.”

He said hat his administration’s 8-point agenda, which includes food security, ending poverty, economic growth and job creation, access to capital, improving security, enhancing the business environment, upholding the rule of law, and fighting corruption, is intrinsically linked to the success of the nation’s digital identity initiatives.

He stressed that by leveraging DPI, Nigeria can streamline service delivery, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure that government programs reach those who need them most.

The President said: “It goes without saying that a robust, efficient digital identity system has proven vital for the success of Government programmes like providing incentives for farmers, the student loan scheme, the National Youth Talent Export Programme, Renewed Hope City and Estate Housing initiative, the Skill-Up Artisans Programme and others. Verifiable identity is crucial in ensuring the right services and assistance goes to the right people in need of them.

“The “Renewed Hope” initiative is our commitment to fostering sustainable development and improving the living standards of all Nigerians. Digital identity is a key enabler of this vision. It empowers individuals, facilitates economic transactions, and enhances transparency and accountability in governance. With a reliable digital identity system, we can build a more inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.”

Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in his keynote address, said the nation cannot find a solution to national security without the issues of identity management.

He said the foundation of economic emancipation or even industrialization is premised on identity management.

He said “we must get the identity of the people right to provide basic services for them,” adding that “for you to get the identity right the principle of the EOI (Evidence of Identity) plays a prominent role because Identity is the foundation, identity is the cradle, the beginning of every development.”

He however warned that if the nation fails to pay the necessary attention to identity management it will have challenges such as reputational damage, because the country will be unable to separate the good people from the bad ones and may find it difficult to provide basic policing, basic amenities of life for the people.

He said: “When you manage identity you must also talk about data protection and that is why we have the data protection act, which is fundamental in any democracy in the world. It is the right of the government to have the identity of its citizens to harness their identity and the right of the people for their identity to be protected.”

He said that Nigeria must end the era of individuals with multiple identities, stressing that if the nation fails to curb the problem of the proliferation of identities, it will continue to be at the mercy of the enemies of the state.

The minister emphasized that by law NIMC is the custodian of identity, stressing that the commission should extend its mandate to tax, drivers’ license, bank and even telcos and all issues concerning data because it is the repository of data in the country.

He revealed that the Ministry will work with NIMC to establish the Digital Travel certificate the (DTC) as well as adopt the Centralized Citizen Integrity and Document Authentication System (CCIDAS) to track people wherever they may be in order to curb crime.

In her remarks, the Director General of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the event highlights the importance of identity and its use for inclusion, protection and empowerment adding that data management has led to the enrolment of 110 million Nigerians so far.

She said: “With the federal government investment and palliative programs to cushion the impact of the ongoing hardship on citizens especially on the most vulnerable segments of the society, the focus of this event is around a strong digital infrastructure to support the empowerment initiative”.

She said that DPI is a network built in the public sector that enables the country to safely and effectively deliver opportunities and social services to its citizens and legal residents adding that NIMC is at the forefront of providing National identity to all citizens and legal residents in Nigeria.

“PTI has encouraged innovation to accelerate financial inclusion and transform the lives of the citizens by delivering service in an efficient and cost effective manner,” she said.

Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Transformation of Service Delivery to Nigerians

National News

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

Published

14 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

By: Michael Mike

The DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote has approved the promotion of 523 Staff of the Commission.

The promotion, according to a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson of the Commission, Dr. Kayode Adegoke is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Adegoke said: “This is a statutory part of the performance reward system for Staff who sat and met the pre-requisite conditions as spelt out in the Public Service Rules (PSR) in the 2025 promotion exercise.

He disclosed that accordingly, two staff members were promoted to the Director’s cadre (GL 17), and eight staff members moved to the Deputy Director cadre (GL 16) and 35 staff staff members promoted to the Assistant Director cadre (GL 15).

He further disclosed that 35 staff were promoted to the level of Chief Identity Officers (GL 14), with 109 moving to Assistant Chief Identity Officers (GL 13).

Adegoke said 113 officers moved to the rank of Principal Identity Officer (GL 12), while 82 were promoted to Senior Identity Officer ranks (GL 10), and 130 to the rank of Identity Officer 1 ( GL 9).

The DG/CEO congratulated all the promoted staff and charged them to see the promotion as an opportunity to serve the country better. She reiterated zero tolerance for extortion and warned staff to desist from it.

Engr Coker-Odusote, furthermore, encouraged all staff members of the Commission to work harder in the coming year 2026 and ensure the successful implementation of the National Identification Number project. She reiterated her commitment to prioritise staff welfare and ensure the dignity of labour.

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

National News

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

Published

15 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has congratulated Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Senator Hope Uzodimma, on his 67th birthday, saying his exemplary and progressive leadership within the All Progressives Congress (APC), his state, and the nation at large is worthy of emulation.

He noted that as Chairman of the PGF, an umbrella body of Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Uzodimma has demonstrated exceptional capacity to unite and galvanise the party’s Governors towards achieving a collective vision for Nigeria’s development under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Vice President on Saturday, described the age of 67 as an important milestone in the life of Uzodimma, noting that the special moment reflects how far the Governor has come, and sets the stage for what lies ahead.

Acknowledging how Uzodimma’s “exemplary leadership as Executive Governor of Imo State continues to inspire confidence and progress,” VP Shettima described the PGF Chairman as a committed servant of Nigeria.

“Your recent appointment by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as Renewed Hope Ambassador is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering dedication to the ideals of our administration and your proven ability to articulate and champion the transformative agenda of the Renewed Hope mandate across our nation,” the VP told the Governor.

This singular honour, Senator Shettima said, reflects President Tinubu’s confidence in Governor Uzodimma’s leadership and commitment to national progress.

He observed that the Imo State Governor’s strategic governance, infrastructural achievements, and dedication to the prosperity of his state exemplify the progressive leadership Nigeria needs at this crucial time.

The Vice President prayed the Almighty God to grant Governor Uzodimma continued wisdom, good health, and strength to sustain his “remarkable service to Imo State and Nigeria.”

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

National News

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy

By: Michael Mike

The Europe Union (EU) is investing an additional €45 million in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The package was signed by the Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela in Brussels.

A statement on Thursday by EU read: “At the EU-Nigeria Digital Open Day, which just took place in Brussels, a €45 million programme completing the EU Digital Economy Package for Nigeria was signed between Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela.

“This investment will further support the cooperation in digital sector between Nigeria and the European Union.”

The European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: “Global Gateway is about delivering new opportunities, and the EU-Nigerian cooperation in the digital area has a very strong potential to do exactly that. Our approach to digitalisation is based on skills-transfer, open standards, data protection, privacy and security. This way, we make sure that technologies truly enrich human lives. The new package will take our efforts even further by supporting modern e-public services and investing in the skills that will prepare Nigeria’s youth for the digital future.”

The Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani added: The EU–Nigeria digital economy cooperation reflects our shared belief that digital transformation must provide a platform for growth in productivity driven by technology. As part of this, Project Bridge provides a commercially sustainable entry point for European investors and suppliers to participate in deploying an open-access fibre network at scale. Combined with our leadership in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure and programmes such as 3 million Technical Talents, Nigeria offers European businesses a market where talent, demand and policy alignment converge to support long-term investment and expansion.”

The programme signed on Thursday includes a flagship Global Gateway support to the Project Bridge that aims to deploy 90 000 km of fibre-optic backbone across Nigeria. This project is the country’s most ambitious digital investment supported by loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank and African Development Bank.
The €45 million grant supports the preparation of this strategic project with technical assistance and equipment in three complementary ways: for the detailed fiber optic network design, for local skills development and for the supply chain deployment with the mobilisation of the EU private sector.

The EU programme will also contribute to modernise Nigeria’s public administration through secure, user-friendly digital services. it also involves targeted support for Nigeria’s nationwide digital-skills programme, helping train a new generation of technicians, engineers and IT specialists.

According to the statement, this is essential to create new jobs, because large-scale digital projects can only work if the local workforce can maintain, operate and innovate on these networks.

The objective of the EU-Nigeria Open Digital Day was to facilitate access to information for European investors and suppliers interested in participating in the Nigerian digital ecosystem. The focus was on the Project Bridge, presented as an opportunity for collaborations between the EU tech sector and Nigeria.

With this €1.7 billion flagship project is projected to extend Nigeria’s total fibre to 125 000 km (+70%), making it the third-longest terrestrial fibre-optic infrastructure in Africa, following Egypt and South Africa.

Digitalisation is a priority area for the EU-Nigeria partnership as reflected in the €820 million Digital Economy Package launched in 2022 under the EU Global Gateway strategy. The EU-Nigeria collaboration in this sector spans from connectivity to digital skills, entrepreneurship, service and governance with multiple projects.

Nigeria’s digital economy has potential to create jobs, foster economic growth and open greater democratic space in Africa. Nigeria hosts big companies, and Lagos offers digital and business ecosystem with incubators, access to finance and digital service platforms. It has the biggest e-commerce market in Africa with 87 platforms, employing some 2.9 million people.

It is also leading on the continent on digital and start-ups – of the 8 existing African unicorns, 6 are Nigerian, with impressively dynamic States (Lagos) eager to create an ecosystem that promotes innovation, youth and growth largely led by the digital sector.

Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.

The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions.

Together, they aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy