The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, says the Federal Government is committed to reviewing the legal and regulatory framework to accelerate the implementation of Nigeria’s digital identity for development.
Dr Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, Malami said this after attending the inaugural meeting of the Project Ecosystem Steering Committee (PESC) of the Nigeria Digital Identity Development Project System chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Malami said the Committee has the responsibility of reviewing the legal and regulatory framework for digital identity development and implementation of the Strategic Roadmap.
“It will also utilise foundational identity to access services, determining the location of the Ecosystem Strategic Unit as well as receive reports on the implementation through the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, and provide necessary guidance and approval thereof’’.
Gfhnews reports that members of the Committee include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha as the chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Others are Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Hajiya Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna; Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu; Minister of Interior, Ra’uf Aregbesola; Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
Other Members of the Committee are the Director General, National Orientation Agency, and the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, who serves as the Secretary to the Committee.
Malami said the Committee was established to provide policy, institutional and operational guidance in the process of implementing the Federal Executive Council-approved Strategic Roadmap for accelerating digital identity development for Nigeria.
Mr Boss Mustapha in his address charged Members of the committee on the need to considerably reduce the number of challenges faced in identifying and locating poor and vulnerable Nigerians in the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“This Committee is to ensure that the Federal Government leverages the existing ecosystem of Government Agencies, States and trusted private sector partners to carry out nationwide enrolment through a viable partnership strategy with an effective public awareness campaign,” he said.
