A bill was passed again for a second reading by the Senate, which is aimed at granting all residents in Nigeria even the foreign residents the right to get and use the National identification number (NIN).
The legislation which was sponsored by Deputy Senate president, Barau I. Jibrin is looking forward to replacing criminal penalties with administrative measures to make sure that there’s compliance with all NIN requirements without any serious consequences.
the ‘National Identity Management Commission (Repeal and enactment) Bill 2024 (SB. 472)’ also proposed a replacement of criminal penalties with administrative enforcement measures.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi (Ekiti North) presented the bill’s general principles to the plenary session, as Senator Barau Jibrin presided over it.
Fasuyi further stated that the bill is focused on repealing the current Act and establishing a new regulatory framework for the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The objective is to improve NIMC’s regulatory capabilities, making sure of a better oversight and regulation of Nigeria’s ID system.
“The bill’s objectives include expanding the eligible registrants under the Nigeria ID System to achieve inclusivity and universal coverage,” Senator Fasuyi explained.
“It allows all residents in Nigeria to obtain a National Identification Number (NIN) for official identification purposes.”
The bill also proposes a detailed sharing of personal data with hectic data protection measures to secure privacy and promote public trust in data handling.
It will also help the administrative enforcement powers to make sure that there’s timely compliance with the ID card registration.
Most Importantly, the bill is aimed at replacing criminal penalties with administrative measures for non-use of NIN,which is meant to encourage compliance without threatening citizens with stringent legal consequences.
The Senate proceeded to pass the bill after the debate, which was a significant move towards reforms in Nigeria’s identity management system.
Discover more from Infodorm
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.