NCAA, NIMC to Collaborate on Data Exchange

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman, has disclosed that the agency was planning to collaborate with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that aviation personnel are properly captured in the nation’s database.

Usman, who expressed appreciation on the easy process of enrolling into the National Identity Database (NIDB) by NIMC urged Nigerians to register and be identified as Nigerian citizens.

Usman stated this at the NIMC Headquarters in Abuja at the weekend, after he completed his enrolment for his National Identification Number (NIN).

The DG of NCAA expressed delight over the smooth enrolment process, stating that the National Identity Management Scheme (NIMS) was a laudable project by the federal government to ensure that all Nigerians and Legal Residents are properly enrolled, identified and issued an identification number.

“This is very important and must be taken seriously. I implore all Nigerians to ensure they are captured into the Database in good time, so they can be issued their own unique number for identification even beyond the shores of the country,” Usman said.

He applauded the management of NIMC and emphasised that countries across the world that embraced similar system have resolved issues of identity of its citizens, citing the United States of America as an example, where everyone is given a Social Security Number. Usman, further stressed that NCAA is an agency of the government built to regulate civil aviation activities in Nigeria hence, “It will help us in the area of verification as an agency of government responsible for licensing aviation personnel, as well as corporate entities that operate the aviation services in Nigeria.

“This is a commendable initiative and we hope to collaborate with NIMC, and key into the project to ensure that the data captured are properly exchanged, to see how licensed aviation personnel can be enrolled and identified for life.

“In the USA, they have tied the Social Security Number with pilots/aviation personnel licenses because of the importance of having one standard data and NCAA can also do the same,” he added.