The Nigerian federal government has approved the development and release of a new National Identity Number (NIN) slip and mobile app to verify and authenticate identities on-the-go using smartphones.
The highly anticipated Web Service (MWS) Application, called the NIMC Mobile App, and the improved National Identification Number (NIN) Slip are now available for public use. The App provides a secure channel for all Nigerians and legal residents to easily verify and authenticate their identities on-the-go using smartphones. It also enables them to link the NIN to their phone numbers. The development of the App and other tools to support the National Identity Number (NIN) process align with the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.
Nigerian digital identification route has been quite a mix-bag, and even if the end result is not yet known, one gets the feeling that the process itself has revealed how not to design and deploy an identification system.