Coker-Odusote also disclosed that NIMC through the National Identification Number (NIN), has enrolled over 110 million Nigerians
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has said out of the 332,715 students registered for the federal government’s Student Loan initiative, 18,000 have received payments.
The DG made this known in Abuja recently while marking the ‘National Day of Identity’, a day set aside to highlight the importance of identity and its responsible use for inclusion, protection and empowerment.
Speaking during a lecture themed, “Digital Public Infrastructure – Enabling Access to Services in Nigeria”, Coker-Odusote noted that with the FG investments in social and palliative programmes to cushion the impact of the ongoing economic reforms on citizens, the focus of the event on a strong digital public infrastructure (DPI) to support the government’s initiatives is timely and relevant.
She also shed light on the concept of DPI, the role NIMC plays as a key stakeholder, and the importance of DPI to facilitate seamless access to public and private services across different sectors such as financial, healthcare, agriculture, among others.
She went on to explain that DPI refers to a digital network, which is typically built in the public sector, that enables countries to safely and efficiently deliver economic opportunities and social services to citizens and legal residents.
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She further said that DPI accelerates financial inclusion and transforms the lives of citizens by addressing challenges of physical distance and documentation, as well as high cost of transactions.
According to her, through this initiative, NIMC, responsible for the National Identification Number (NIN), has enrolled over 110 million Nigerians.
“The Student Loan Initiative showcases how DPI can eliminate financial barriers to education.
“By collaborating with 257 institutions, 332,715 students have been registered for loans, and over 18,000 students have already received payments through the initiative,” Coker-Odusote said.