The Federal Government has approved the gazette of supplementary regulations for the mandatory use of the National Identity Number (NIN), and other identification platforms.

The Managing Director, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Aliyu Aziz, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the step would allow the commission to deliver on its mandate as expected and in record time.

According to him, the Federal Government has gazetted and published five Regulations, following an approval from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Justice in November, 2017.

“The gazetted regulations are: ‘Mandatory Use of the National Identification Number (NIN) Regulations, 2017’; ‘Nigeria Biometrics Standard Regulations, 2017’; ‘Registration of Persons and Contents of the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017’.

“Access to Register Information in the National Identity Database Regulations, 2017 and Licensing of the Frontend Services of the National Identity Management Commission Regulations, 2017,” he said.

The NIMC boss stressed the need for supplementary regulations, saying that it was essential toward the realisation of the commission’s mandate in the coming years.

“With the increase and expansion of the commission’s activities, the new policy for the implementation of NIMS desires that the commission develop the identity eco-system in Nigeria and meet its mandate of harmonising all identity related databases in the country.

“It is necessary to promulgate regulations, which consist of sets of principles, practices, policies, processes and procedures to be utilised to achieve the desired objectives.

“The regulations will ensure that the commission actualises and effectively delivers on the National Identity Management System (NIMS) project in the coming years,” he added.

NAN, recalls that the commission had in November 2016, announced the commencement process to document and publish these regulations, pursuant to Sections 27 and 31 of the NIMC Act, 2007.

The Act provides for the commission to make supplementary regulations to cover its various services and offerings.

Draft copies of the regulations were widely circulated to various government organisations, private and security agencies as well as the general public, inviting comments, inputs and opinions, after which the comments were reviewed by the committee charged with the development of the strategy for implementation of NIMC regulations.

NAN