NOA, NIMC LAUNCH JOINT COMMITTEE TO BOOST WARD-LEVEL NIN ENROLMENT NATIONWIDE

 The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have inaugurated a joint committee to drive public awareness and grassroots mobilisation for the nationwide enrolment of citizens in the National Identification Number (NIN) scheme at the ward level.

Speaking at the inauguration held at the NOA headquarters in Abuja, the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu represented by the Director of Media and Communication, Mallam Bala Musa commended NIMC for its commitment to expanding identity inclusion. He described the NIN as a critical tool for national planning, security enhancement, social protection programmes and financial inclusion.

Issa-Onilu emphasised that the success of the ward-level enrolment initiative would depend not only on operational deployment but also on effective communication and strategic community engagement. He noted that NOA’s nationwide structure, including 818 offices and partnerships with over 200 radio stations, major television networks, social media platforms and its AI chatbot, CLHEEAN, would be leveraged to ensure widespread sensitisation.

He added that public enlightenment campaigns would be inclusive, culturally sensitive and tailored to reach underserved and rural communities, while proactively addressing possible misconceptions surrounding the enrolment process.

In her remarks, NIMC’s Director of Operations and Team Lead, Mrs Uche Chigbo, disclosed that the commission would commence the ward-level enrolment exercise on February 16, with a target of achieving 95 percent national coverage by year-end. She explained that the intensive phase would last six weeks, dedicating five days to each ward across the country, and would involve licensed partners to ensure broad participation across all demographics.

Members of the joint committee from NOA include Mallam Bala Musa, Mrs Adaline Waye and Mrs Sherifat Adegbesan, while NIMC is represented by Mrs Uche Chigbo, James Bura Mamza, Mr Kayode Adegoke, Amen Peter Odia and Ayodele Babalola.