The Federal Government has stated that it plans to use the mandatory National Identification Number (NIN) to identify and monitor Internet users in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, at the Nigeria International Partnership Forum in Paris, France on Thursday. According to him, NIN will enable the Federal Government and security agencies to know the identity of Internet users in the country.
The Minister said Nigeria has joined the global community by making the use of national identification numbers for both citizens and legal residents mandatory, and this is going to be the foundation of the nation’s economy and security, such that whoever happens to go online, his identity will be known by the federal government and also by Nigeria’s security institutions.
“As it is today, the enrollment has been over 67 million and most importantly we are able to capture the most important category of people that come out to do businesses,” he stated further. The Minister also said that having a NIN is a prerequisite to enjoying government services, adding that it will bring peace of mind to potential investors.
