This initiative is being done in partnership with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).
The briefing also saw the presence of Mr. Premier Oiwoh, the Managing Director/CEO of NIBSS, along with Ebehije Momoh, the Managing Director/CEO of AfriGO, and Femi Akande, the Managing Director of Data Mining Company. Coker-Odusote explained that the new card program is designed to cater to various needs from both the federal government and the private sector, aiming to tackle social and economic challenges in the country, with a focus on payment features and identity verification.
She said: “The key features of this card, are the biometric, based on the fingerprint, which is the only one that is currently unique; the card has a long validity period because it’s also fully KYC enabled; it has an offline and online capability, which means in locations where there are limited access to internet, this card will still work and be used for those services that it’s designed to achieve.
“And you can meet out cash, digital tokens, wallet, and email and it also has some banking details inside the chip that enables the holder to perform every other thing that can be done with ENV-enabled card.
“On the back, the card provides additional functionalities which enable Nigerians and those who are going to have access to it to be able to prove their identity at any point in time they are called to do that.”
The CEO of NIMC shared that the new multi-tasking card is designed to help citizens engage more in the country’s social and economic activities.
She mentioned that the card's second feature, known as the Government of People card (G2P), aims to meet the current demand for secure and reliable identification of individuals providing services for the government and private sectors.
This initiative is set to tackle issues related to identifying participants in government assistance programs.
Regarding the card's cost, she promised that it would be affordable for Nigerians, emphasizing that this new biometric card aims to lift 133 million people out of poverty and offer smooth services.
On the partnership with NIBSS, Oiwoh explained that NIBSS has a solid interoperability framework and holds extensive financial data related to payments.
Since AfriGo is fully owned by NIBSS, they believe it’s essential to create a card payment system that collaborates with NIBSS to provide efficient payment solutions, including the NQR feature on the card, which utilizes the NIBSS infrastructure.
“With your fingerprints, you can authenticate transactions, but also, if you don’t remember your account number, just present the card, and then you can scan the QR code, and the account number, and you can do whatever you want to do, by just talking to whoever has scanned your card, and then you can also authenticate that.
“So, those are the areas that NIBSS advises in terms of payment detail and guides to ensure that things are, I mean, Nigerians derive the full benefit and are excited, and I’m very proud as a Nigerian to see this day and to see things happening.”
Dr. Peter Iwegbu, the Director of the Card Management team, shared some insights about the project. He highlighted that the card will offer immediate identification for citizens. It's a 3-in-1 deal, giving access to government services, allowing self-identification, and facilitating financial transactions.
Plus, it enables tracking and verification of individuals without needing any electronic gadgets. On the rollout front, Ebehijie Momoh, the MD of Afrigo, called the upgraded ID system groundbreaking, set to transform the way identities are managed in Nigeria.