Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, has responded to allegations regarding the sale of National Identity Number (NIN) slips for N100.
Tijani stated that he has engaged with his colleague, the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who oversees the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The Minister of Interior and NIMC are actively addressing the issue.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), under Tijani’s ministry, has been working to create data compliance mechanisms for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The NDPC has initiated a thorough investigation into the alleged breach.
Tijani emphasized the proactive measures taken since his appointment to enhance the application of technology in government. In October 2023, he released a whitepaper outlining his vision for leveraging technology to improve government processes and accelerate economic prosperity. The whitepaper, available on (b.link/NigeriaDPI), has shaped the ministry's approach to strengthening technology use in government and securing citizens' data.
Since the whitepaper's release, several initiatives have been launched:
- Presentation to Permanent Secretaries: Highlighting the importance of a structured Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) approach and the need for data exchange across MDAs to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity.
- ICT Directors Workshop: A 2-day workshop to initiate a plan to strengthen DPI in Nigeria.
- #DevsInGovernment: A community of practice for civil servants responsible for technology, aimed at securing buy-in across the ICT cadre.
- Responsible Data Management Course: In partnership with NDPC and Datadotorg, to improve data handling and protection in government institutions.
- DPI Workshop: Conducted with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure to assess the status quo and agree on an implementation roadmap for DPI in Nigeria.
- Knowledge Exchange Workshops: Deep dives and exchanges on DPI and data exchange with Finland and Estonia to design Nigeria’s Data Exchange System.
Additionally, a request has been submitted for a Presidential declaration to align all MDAs behind the goal of implementing a data exchange system in Nigeria. The initial pilot, expected by the end of the year, aims to cover at least five MDAs supporting Nigerians through critical life events.
Tijani encourages Civil Society Organisations and other stakeholders to read the whitepaper and engage with the ministry in strengthening Nigeria’s DPI.
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