Around 104.16 million Nigerians have received National Identification Numbers (NIN) as of December 31, 2023, according to information released by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Giving a breakdown of the figure, the commission averred that Lagos State maintained the top spot by recording the highest number of enrolments in the country with 11.42 million Nigerians captured in the state.

This was followed by Kano State, which recorded 9.19 million registered NINs. The two most populous states in Nigeria, according to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) have maintained the lead in NIN enrolment since the beginning of the exercise.

Other states that made the top ten in terms of the number of enrolments include Kaduna with 6.45 million; Ogun with 4.40 million; Oyo with 4.04 million; Katsina with 3.54 million; FCT with 3.51 million; Rivers 3.13 million; Delta 2.79 million and Bauchi with 2.76 million.

NIMC data showed that the 10 states with the lowest NIN issued are Kwara with 1.77 million, Akwa-Ibom with 1.76 million, Kogi with 1.73 million, Enugu with 1.67 million, Yobe with 1.65 million, Taraba with 1.49 million, Cross River 1.19 million, Ekiti 1.02 million, Ebonyi 839,506, and Bayelsa 657,484.

Meanwhile, the new director-general, NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, revealed that the Commission has started working to accelerate the issuance of the digital identity token in line with the renewed hope mandate of president Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Coker-Odusote said: “NIMC will strengthen the operation and regulation of all matters related to national identity which encompasses services such as NIN enrolment and issuance, national e-ID card issuance, identity verification as well as data harmonisation and authentication. It should be noted that in the digital age, integrated identity is the backbone of e-governance initiatives.

“It provides an enabling environment for key government programmes of social safety net, financial inclusion, as well as for companies that want to provide innovative products and services to people. An integrated identity system will strengthen the government’s fiscal management, promote good governance and transparency through inclusivity and social equality. It ensures that marginalised and vulnerable populations are not excluded from government services.”

The DG acknowledged the difficulties that millions of Nigerians encountered during NIN enrollment, while promising that all problems, including lengthy processing times and administrative errors, would be thoroughly investigated and fixed.

She emphasised that the commission is dedicated to expediting the issuing of NINs and providing other ancillary services to the public, even as she sought for understanding and cooperation from all parties involved in Nigeria’s digital identity sector.