Nigeria Secures $228 Million as World Bank Aims for 180 million NINs

Nigeria has received $228.59 million from the $430 million allocated for the Digital Identity for Development (ID4D) initiative, which aims to facilitate the enrollment of 148 million National Identification Numbers (NINs) by June 2024.

However, Nigeria did not achieve the enrollment goal of 148 million by the June 2024 deadline, prompting the World Bank to extend the $430 million funding for the project until 2026. A recent document outlining the restructuring terms indicated that the project’s disbursement rate was at 53.16 percent as of November 2024.

The World Bank stated, “The proposed restructuring would extend the closing date from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2026.”

As reported by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria had issued 115 million NINs by November, resulting in a shortfall of 33 million from the original 2024 target. The new agreement establishes a revised target of 180 million NINs by 2026, requiring the issuance of an additional 65 million NINs over the next two years.

The ID4D project was approved by the Board of Executive Directors of the International Development Association (IDA), with the Financing Agreement (FA) signed in February 2021 and effective from December 14, 2021.

The initiative aims to increase the number of individuals possessing national ID numbers and has a total financing of $430 million, which includes $115 million from the IDA, $100 million from the French Development Agency (AFD), and $215 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Initially, the project encountered 22 months of delays in implementation and disbursement but has since progressed. According to the Washington-based institution, the project has supported the infrastructure and enrollment processes for 74 million NINs.

The global bank has acknowledged significant advancements; however, it pointed out that nearly half of Nigeria's 210 million population, particularly women, individuals with disabilities, and marginalized groups, lack digital identification. The ID4D initiative has successfully acquired 1,000 enrollment devices for the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, with plans to obtain an additional 3,000 devices aimed at enrolling impoverished and vulnerable populations.

After facing delays due to capacity constraints, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is currently working to enhance its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to accommodate 250 million National Identification Numbers (NIN), with an expected completion date of March 2025.

The World Bank emphasized that these enhancements by NIMC could establish a benchmark for digital identity initiatives across the continent. 

“Nigeria can set the standard for developing systems that are based on open standards, are interoperable, and enable access to services. By investing in digital identification and the accompanying analogue complements, Nigeria can unlock its digital economy which will have a ripple effect across the continent,” it added.