Reps stop NIMC from hiring foreign firms for data capturingbegins

The House of Representatives yesterday urged the National Identity Management Commission to stop hiring foreign firms for capturing Nigerians’data.

The lawmakers also kicked against the charge of $50 fees on Nigerians in the Diaspora to be captured for national identification.

Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora,

Tolulope Akande Sadipe and other members, spoke during the budget defence session by the NIMC.

Sadipe said engaging foreign firms to capture sensitive data of Nigerians is a security issue that must not be toyed with.

She said it was embarrassing and unbecoming of the NIMC to allow private foreign entities to hold or have access to the data of Nigerians as such information might be compromised by the third party.

She also alleged that Nigerians in the Diaspora were being exploited to the tune of $50 by the companies for a service that could ordinarily be provided by the commission or indigenous companies.

Responding, NIMC Director-General Aliyu Abubakar Azeez said the companies were engaged through a transparent “licensing process” in line with the extant laws and the NIMC Act.

He explained that the companies were engaged because the commission lacked the capacity to undertake the task, saying the exercise was being conducted in line with the global best practices.

He insisted that Nigerians pay a fee for renewal of the national identify card as applicable to international passport, driver’s licence and other vital national documents.