NIMC deploys verification mode to banks, other sectors

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disclosed that the commission had deployed NIMC Verification Service (NVS) to banks and other sectors including schools and hospitals. Director-general of the commission was speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria forum in Abuja on Sunday, insisting the financial institutions in the country have successfully implemented and adopted the […]

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disclosed that the commission had deployed NIMC Verification Service (NVS) to banks and other sectors including schools and hospitals.

Director-general of the commission was speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria forum in Abuja on Sunday, insisting the financial institutions in the country have successfully implemented and adopted the platform.

According to him, the Application Programme Interface (API) for the NVS was deployed to institutions for effective use in accessing the data of Nigerians.

“It started by mentioning the application and issuance of passport then that of opening of a bank account, land transaction, insurance, pensions, paying taxes, contributory health insurance, voters registration, any other government services.

“ So we have already put a regulation in 2015 which we are updating for 2017 to come out.

“And also we have provided the verification service in different mode; some of the banks are already consuming this service because they are much private sector oriented.

“But it is available for all the sectors like schools, like hospitals. And as I have said earlier we want the private sector to really drive this, government cannot be everywhere.”

The NIMC bossed stressed that it was important to harmonise insurance companies’ databases with the National Identity Database (NIDB).

He also said that a vulnerability check had been done to the card to make it secured, adding that five applets had been activated on it.

“We have like 13 applets on the card presently but we have only five that are activated. This five are to do with the electronic identity that is your own identity; who you are?

“Then we have also what is called match on card that is when you present the card supposed even you have done some work on it or you present a fake one.

“So you are required to put it into equipment and then check that your fingerprints that are inside are your own fingerprints.

“Then we also have the account travel applets that is part of it, then we have the payment applets that you can use it as a virtual account and driven by a bank.

“And finally, we have something that is called public key infrastructure. That public key infrastructure gives you digital certificates.

“And this digital certificates are the ones that will allow you to digitally sign a document and then also digitally encrypt a document because you know now we are in digital economy therefore you need something to participate fully.”